terrigenous

adjective

ter·​rig·​e·​nous te-ˈri-jə-nəs How to pronounce terrigenous (audio)
tə-
: being or relating to oceanic sediment derived directly from the destruction of rocks on the earth's surface

Examples of terrigenous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For those interested in the transfer of terrigenous sediment (i.e., derived from continent) to the deep sea, this situation has some interesting implications regarding transport mechanisms. Brian Romans, WIRED, 13 July 2008

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'terrigenous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin terrigena earthborn, from terra earth + gignere to beget — more at kin

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of terrigenous was in 1882

Dictionary Entries Near terrigenous

Cite this Entry

“Terrigenous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrigenous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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