syncline

[ sing-klahyn, sin- ]

nounGeology.
  1. a synclinal fold.

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Origin of syncline

1
First recorded in 1870–75; back formation from synclinal

Words Nearby syncline

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How to use syncline in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for syncline

syncline

/ (ˈsɪŋklaɪn) /


noun
  1. a downward fold of stratified rock in which the strata slope towards a vertical axis: Compare anticline

Origin of syncline

1
C19: from syn- + Greek klīnein to lean

Derived forms of syncline

  • synclinal, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for syncline

syncline

[ sĭnklīn′ ]


  1. A fold of rock layers that slope upward on both sides of a common low point. Synclines form when rocks are compressed by plate-tectonic forces. They can be as small as the side of a cliff or as large as an entire valley. Compare anticline.

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