tectonic

UK: /tɛkˈtɒnɪk/ US: (tek ton′ik)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

tec•ton•ic  (tek ton′ik), adj. 

1. of or pertaining to building or construction;
   constructive;
   architectural.
2. Geology
   • pertaining to the structure of the earth's crust.
   • referring to the forces or conditions within the earth that cause movements of the crust.
   • designating the results of such movements:
     tectonic valleys.

• Greek tektonikós pertaining to construction, equivalent. to tekton- (stem of téktōn) carpenter + -ikos -ic
• Late Latin tectonicus
• 1650–60

tec•ton′i•cal•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

tectonic / tɛkˈtɒnɪk/ adjective

1. denoting or relating to construction or building
2. (of landforms, rock masses, etc) resulting from distortion of the earth's crust due to forces within it
3. (of processes, movements, etc) occurring within the earth's crust and causing structural deformation

Etymology: 17th Century: from Late Latin tectonicus, from Greek tektonikos belonging to carpentry, from tektōn a builder