the doctrine that all geologic changes may be explained by existing physical and chemical processes, as erosion, deposition, volcanic action, etc., that have operated in essentially the same way throughout geologic time
uniformitarianism
u·ni·for·mi·tar·i·an·ismWebster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"uniformitarianism." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 09 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/uniformitarianism>.
APA Style
uniformitarianism. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/uniformitarianism
uniformitarianism
noun
The theory that all geologic phenomena may be explained as the result of existing forces having operated uniformly from the origin of the earth to the present time.
Related Forms:
- u′ni·for′mi·tar′i·an
adjective
noun
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"uniformitarianism." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 09 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/uniformitarianism>.
APA Style
uniformitarianism. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/uniformitarianism
The theory that all geologic phenomena may be explained as the result of existing forces having operated uniformly from the origin of the Earth to the present time.
See Note at Lyell
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"uniformitarianism." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 09 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/uniformitarianism>.
APA Style
uniformitarianism. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/uniformitarianism
Noun
(uncountable)
- (chiefly geology) The scientific principle that natural processes operated in the past in the same way that they operate today. [from 19th c.]
Origin
From uniformitarian +"Ž -ism.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"uniformitarianism." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 09 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/uniformitarianism>.
APA Style
uniformitarianism. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/uniformitarianism
