plate tectonics meaning

Definition of plate tectonics

1. the branch of geology studying the folding and faulting of the earth's crust

   Synonyms: tectonics, plate tectonic theory

   Type of: morphology

plate tectonics in a sentence

• Mars doesn't have plate tectonics like Earth does.
• The theory of plate tectonics in geology explains the phenomenon of continental drift.

How to pronounce plate tectonics

plate tectonics is pronounced /pleɪt tɛkˈtɑnɪks/ in American English. It has 4 syllables.