geosyncline

American  

[jee-oh-sin-klahyn] / ˌdʒi oʊˈsɪn klaɪn /

noun

Geology.

1. a portion of the earth's crust subjected to downward warping during a large span of geologic time; a geosynclinal fold.

---

geosyncline British  

/ ˌdʒiːəʊˈsɪŋklaɪn /

noun

1. a broad elongated depression in the earth's crust containing great thicknesses of sediment

---

geosyncline Scientific  

/ jē′ō-sĭn′klīn′ /

1. A usually elongate, basinlike depression along the edge of a continent, in which a thick sequence of sediments and volcanic deposits has accumulated.

---

Other Word Forms

• geosynclinal adjective

Etymology

Origin of geosyncline

First recorded in 1890–95; geo- + syncline

Example Sentences

The process of converting a geosyncline into a mountain belt was never really adequately explained, although it was widely believed that mountain belts formed when geosynclines were compressed by forces pushing from either side.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Extensive geosynclinal deposits exist around much of the coastline of most of the continents; there is a large geosyncline along the eastern edge of North America.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

This view incorporated a mechanism for creation of mountain chains known as the geosyncline theory.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The sediments that accumulate within a geosyncline are derived from erosion of the adjacent continent.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The Alps and the Himalayas, much younger than our Appalachians, were also begotten and nursed in the cradle of a vast geosyncline in the Tertiary seas.

From Time and Change by Burroughs, John