outcrop

1 of 2

noun

out·​crop ˈau̇t-ˌkräp 

1

: a coming out of bedrock or of an unconsolidated deposit to the surface of the ground

2

: the part of a rock formation that appears at the surface of the ground

outcrop

2 of 2

verb

out·​crop ˈau̇t-ˌkräp 

ˌau̇t-ˈkräp

outcropped; outcropping; outcrops

intransitive verb

1

: to project from the surrounding soil

ledges outcropping from the eroded slope

2

: to come to the surface : appear

Examples of outcrop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Massive groupers patrol rocky outcrops, brightly colored nudibranchs munch on algae, and schools of large corbs glide through the shallows, undisturbed by fishing lines. —Annika Hammerschlag, Christian Science Monitor, 9 June 2025

Here, find Panola Mountain, a 100-acre granite outcrop similar to Stone Mountain with its own diverse story and history. —Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 20 May 2025

Verb

The previously oldest rock formation was the Acasta Gneiss, outcropping in the Slave Craton of the Canadian Northwest Territories. —David Bressan, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

The permit area contains two outcropping porphyry targets (Ricardo Herrera and Sortilegio) and one zone with signatures of both porphyry-epithermal and skarn mineralization (Vista Alegre). —Sacramento Bee, 2 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

out entry 1 + crop entry 2, after crop out "to protrude from the ground"

Note: See the note at crop entry 2 regarding geological senses of the verb.

Verb

derivative of outcrop entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for outcrop

• atop
• backdrop
• backstop
• bebop
• blacktop
• bookshop
• clatsop
• desktop
• eavesdrop
• estop
• hardtop
• hilltop

Kids Definition

outcrop

1 of 2 noun

out·​crop ˈau̇t-ˌkräp 

1

: a coming out of bedrock to the surface of the ground

2

: the part of a rock formation that appears at the surface of the ground

outcrop

2 of 2 verb

out·​crop ˈau̇t-ˌkräp 

(ˈ)au̇t-ˈkräp

outcropped; outcropping

: to come to the surface : appear

granite outcropping through softer rocks