Tectonic Plate
/tɛkˈtɒn.ɪk pleɪt/noun
A large, rigid slab of Earth’s lithosphere that moves over the mantle.
Did you know?Tectonic comes from Greek tektonikos, from tekton, “builder” or “carpenter,” the same ancient root behind words tied to making, crafting, and construction.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*teks-
“to weave, make, or fabricate”
Ancient Greek
Greek
τέκτων (téktōn)
“builder, carpenter, craftsman”
Ancient Greek
Greek
τεκτονικός (tektonikós)
“of a builder or carpenter”
19th Century
English
tectonic
“relating to building or construction; later, relating to the structure of the Earth’s crust”
20th Century
English
tectonic plate
“a major moving slab of Earth’s lithosphere”
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