tectonics
noun
tec·ton·ics
tek-ˈtä-niks 
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
1
: geologic structural features as a whole
2
a
: a branch of geology concerned with the structure of the crust of a planet (such as the earth) or moon and especially with the formation of folds and faults in it
b
Examples of tectonics in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The region is seismically active, the USGS said, and the initial quake appears to have been within the vicinity of a triple-junction of tectonics, between the Anatolia, Arabia and Africa plates.
—
Dennis Romero, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2023
Studying volcanoes means understanding tectonics better, and that means understanding earthquakes better, and that means saving thousands of lives and perhaps billions of dollars.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 13 Feb. 2011
Christopher Jackson studies basin analysis (in other words, how sediment and tectonics creates and fills valleys and depressions on Earth) at Imperial College.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2017
These complex tectonics of the island nation mean that much of the country is rugged and mountainous.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 25 June 2018
The purity of the ice shell can impact its strength, ice tectonics and how heat flows through the shell.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 18 Aug. 2022
Plate tectonics has, so far, only been observed on Earth, and may be essential to making a planet livable, Drabon said, which makes the origins of plate motions of interest in research into the early development of life.
—David Bressan, Forbes, 24 Apr. 2022
Typically, these types of formations need oceans and liquid water, as well as tectonics to form.
—Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 7 June 2022
Binance’s chief executive Changpeng Zhao’s attempts to quell fears that the global crypto market was headed to a crash and that cryptos are still safe investments despite the current price tectonics only attracted more online vitriol.
—Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 17 May 2022
Dennis Romero, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2023
Studying volcanoes means understanding tectonics better, and that means understanding earthquakes better, and that means saving thousands of lives and perhaps billions of dollars.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 13 Feb. 2011
Christopher Jackson studies basin analysis (in other words, how sediment and tectonics creates and fills valleys and depressions on Earth) at Imperial College.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2017
These complex tectonics of the island nation mean that much of the country is rugged and mountainous.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 25 June 2018
The purity of the ice shell can impact its strength, ice tectonics and how heat flows through the shell.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 18 Aug. 2022
Plate tectonics has, so far, only been observed on Earth, and may be essential to making a planet livable, Drabon said, which makes the origins of plate motions of interest in research into the early development of life.
—David Bressan, Forbes, 24 Apr. 2022
Typically, these types of formations need oceans and liquid water, as well as tectonics to form.
—Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 7 June 2022
Binance’s chief executive Changpeng Zhao’s attempts to quell fears that the global crypto market was headed to a crash and that cryptos are still safe investments despite the current price tectonics only attracted more online vitriol.
—Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 17 May 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tectonics.' 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
tecton(ic) + -ics, probably after German Tektonik
First Known Use
1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing tectonics
Dictionary Entries Near tectonics
Cite this Entry
“Tectonics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tectonics. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
tectonics
noun
tec·ton·ics
tek-ˈtän-iks
1
: a branch of geology concerned with the structure of the crust of a planet (as earth) or moon and especially with the formation of folds and faults in it
2
More from Merriam-Webster on tectonics
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tectonics
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