subduction
noun/səbˈdʌkʃən/
Frequency rank: #15,926 most common English word
Meaning
The process by which one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.
Example sentence
The geologist explained that subduction occurs when one tectonic plate slides beneath another.
Synonyms & related words
- underthrusting
- sinking
- descent
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