diastrophism

(dī astrə fiz′əm)

noun

  1. the process by which the earth's surface is reshaped through rock movements and displacements
  2. formations so made

Origin: < Gr diastrophē, distortion < diastrephein, to turn aside, distort < dia-, aside + strephein, to turn (see strophe) + -ism

Related Forms:

See diastrophism in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
The process of deformation by which the major features of the earth's crust, including continents, mountains, ocean beds, folds, and faults, are formed.

Origin:

Origin: From Greek diastrophē, distortion

Origin: , from diastrephein, to distort

Origin: : dia-, apart; see dia-

Origin: + strephein, to twist; see streb(h)- in Indo-European roots

.

Related Forms:

  • diˌa·strophˈic (dīˌə-strŏfˈĭk, -strōˈfĭk) adjective
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