plate tectonics
noun
plural in form but singular in construction
1
: a theory in geology: the lithosphere of the earth is divided into a small number of plates which float on and travel independently over the mantle and much of the earth's seismic activity occurs at the boundaries of these plates
2
: the process and dynamics of tectonic plate movement
also
: a similar process on a body other than earth compare continental drift
Examples of plate tectonics in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The planet no longer has active plate tectonics and only experienced more significant geological activity in its distant past.
—
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Mars no longer has active plate tectonics.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Mars no longer has active plate tectonics and only experienced more significant geological activity in its distant past.
—Ryan Brennan
april 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026
Brian Hynek, a professor in the department of geological sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, agrees that while the study bolsters the evidence for a past ocean, the appearance of Earth’s continental shelves is partly due to the role of plate tectonics, which Mars never had.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
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Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Mars no longer has active plate tectonics.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Mars no longer has active plate tectonics and only experienced more significant geological activity in its distant past.
—Ryan Brennan
april 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026
Brian Hynek, a professor in the department of geological sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, agrees that while the study bolsters the evidence for a past ocean, the appearance of Earth’s continental shelves is partly due to the role of plate tectonics, which Mars never had.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plate tectonics
Cite this Entry
“Plate tectonics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plate%20tectonics. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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