tectonic

tec·tonic (tek tän′ik)

adjective

of or having to do with building; constructional
architectural
designating, of, or pertaining to changes in the structure of the earth's crust, the forces responsible for such deformation, or the external forms produced

Etymology: LL tectonicus < Gr tektonikos < tektōn, carpenter, builder: see technic

Modifies a noun

plate: The tectonic plates of the global economy are shifting.
deformation: We aim to show that this ridge formed after Drake Passage opened, as a result of tectonic deformation.
uplift: Fissures, filled with calcite and sand, were pointed out, thought to be due to brittle fracture, as tectonic uplift occurred.
evolution: Balanced cross-sections across the Caucasus: understanding the tectonic evolution of the belt.
earthquake: The seismic signals recorded around active volcanoes show a much greater variety than signals recorded in the vicinity of tectonic earthquakes.
shift: These are the last tectonic shifts of ethnic cleansing.

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