tectonic

American  

[tek-ton-ik] / tɛkˈtɒn ɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to building or construction; constructive; architectural.

2. Geology.

   1. pertaining to the structure of the earth's crust.

   2. referring to the forces or conditions within the earth that cause movements of the crust.

   3. designating the results of such movements.

      tectonic valleys.

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tectonic British  

/ tɛkˈtɒnɪk /

adjective

1. denoting or relating to construction or building

2. geology

   1. (of landforms, rock masses, etc) resulting from distortion of the earth's crust due to forces within it

   2. (of processes, movements, etc) occurring within the earth's crust and causing structural deformation

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tectonic Scientific  

/ tĕk-tŏn′ĭk /

1. Relating to the forces involved in plate tectonics or the structural features resulting from them.

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Other Word Forms

• tectonically adverb

Etymology

Origin of tectonic

1650–60; < Late Latin tectonicus < Greek tektonikós pertaining to construction, equivalent to tekton- (stem of téktōn ) carpenter + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

Consumers are still in the midst of a tectonic shift in viewing habits, which has left things extremely fragmented in terms of product choice and pricing.

From MarketWatch

We didn’t see boards think about Bitcoin, the move to Web3, or many of these other tectonic shifts.

From Barron's

Earth's history is recorded in its tectonic plates.

From Science Daily

The findings could help researchers better understand how the Earth's surface might respond to future climate changes and tectonic activity.

From Science Daily

As the tectonic plates shifted, the crust in this region was pulled apart and fractured, opening progressively from east to west, much like a zipper being undone.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• anatomical
• architectural
• basic
• constitutional
• skeletal