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noun Geology.
1.
the solid portion of the earth (distinguished from atmosphere, hydrosphere).
2.
the crust and upper mantle of the earth.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To lithosphere
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Lithosphere
is always a great word to know.
So is crust. Does it mean:
| outer layer of the earth, about 22 miles deep under the continents and 6 miles deep under the oceans |
| process where the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, glaciers, winds, waves |
Example Sentences
- The crust and the upper portion of the mantle form the lithosphere.
- The atmosphere is the layer of air that stretches above the lithosphere.
- The lithosphere is actually broken up into several large pieces, or plates.
Collins
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
lithosphere
"solid part of the earth's surface," from Gk. lithos "stone" + sphere.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
lithosphere  (lĭth'ə-sfîr') Pronunciation Key
(click for larger image in new window) The outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle. It is about 55 km (34 mi) thick beneath the oceans and up to about 200 km (124 mi) thick beneath the continents. The high velocity with which seismic waves propagate through the lithosphere suggests that it is completely solid. Compare asthenosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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