tectonic

adjective/tɛkˈtɑnɪk/

Frequency rank: #11,434 most common English word

Meaning

relating to the structure of the earth's crust and the large-scale processes that shape it; also used broadly to mean having a major or transformative effect.

Illustration for the English word “tectonic”

Example sentence

The scientists studied tectonic shifts that had reshaped the entire continent over millions of years.

Synonyms & related words

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