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geological formation

Other forms: geological formations

Definitions of geological formation
  1. noun
    (geology) the geological features of the earth
    synonyms: formation
    see moresee less
    examples:
    Pillars of Hercules
    the two promontories at the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; according to legend they were formed by Hercules
    types:
    aquifer
    underground bed or layer yielding groundwater for wells, springs, etc.
    beach
    an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
    cave
    a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
    cliff, drop, drop-off
    a steep high face of rock
    delta
    a low area of alluvial deposits where a river divides before entering a larger body of water
    diapir
    a domed rock formation where a core of rock has moved upward and pierced through the more brittle overlying strata
    folium
    a thin layer or stratum of (especially metamorphic) rock
    foreshore
    the part of the seashore between the highwater mark and the low-water mark
    ice mass
    a large mass of ice
    lakefront
    land bordering a lake
    massif
    a block of the earth's crust bounded by faults and shifted to form peaks of a mountain range
    monocline
    a geological formation in which all strata are inclined in the same direction
    mouth
    the point where a stream issues into a larger body of water
    depression, natural depression
    a sunken or depressed geological formation
    elevation, eminence, natural elevation
    a raised or elevated geological formation
    oceanfront
    land bordering an ocean
    relict
    geological feature that is a remnant of a pre-existing formation after other parts have disappeared
    ridge, ridgeline
    a long narrow range of hills
    ridge
    a long narrow natural elevation on the floor of the ocean
    shore
    the land along the edge of a body of water
    incline, side, slope
    an elevated geological formation
    fountain, natural spring, outflow, outpouring, spring
    a natural flow of ground water
    scree, talus
    a sloping mass of loose rocks at the base of a cliff
    mineral vein, vein
    a layer of ore between layers of rock
    crater, volcanic crater
    a bowl-shaped geological formation at the top of a volcano
    wall
    a vertical (or almost vertical) smooth rock face (as of a cave or mountain)
    groundwater level, water level, water table
    underground surface below which the ground is wholly saturated with water
    arete
    a sharp narrow ridge found in rugged mountains
    acclivity, ascent, climb, raise, rise, upgrade
    an upward slope or grade (as in a road)
    bank
    sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
    bank, camber, cant
    a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force
    basin
    a natural depression in the surface of the land often with a lake at the bottom of it
    bed, bottom
    a depression forming the ground under a body of water
    bonanza
    an especially rich vein of precious ore
    caldera
    a large crater caused by the violent explosion of a volcano that collapses into a depression
    canyonside
    the steeply sloping side of a canyon
    cavern
    a large cave or a large chamber in a cave
    coast
    a slope down which sleds may coast
    cove
    small or narrow cave in the side of a cliff or mountain
    crag
    a steep rugged rock or cliff
    crater
    a bowl-shaped depression formed by the impact of a meteorite or bomb
    declension, declination, decline, declivity, descent, downslope, fall
    a downward slope or bend
    escarpment, scarp
    a long steep slope or cliff at the edge of a plateau or ridge; usually formed by erosion
    Fountain of Youth
    a fountain described in folk tales as able to make people young again
    geyser
    a spring that discharges hot water and steam
    glacier
    a slowly moving mass of ice
    grot, grotto
    a small cave (usually with attractive features)
    highland, upland
    elevated (e.g., mountainous) land
    hill
    a local and well-defined elevation of the land
    hillside
    the side or slope of a hill
    hogback, horseback
    a narrow ridge of hills
    hole, hollow
    a depression hollowed out of solid matter
    hot spring, thermal spring
    a natural spring of water at a temperature of 70 F or above
    berg, iceberg
    a large mass of ice floating at sea; usually broken off of a polar glacier
    ice cap, icecap
    a mass of ice and snow that permanently covers a large area of land (e.g., the polar regions or a mountain peak)
    ice field
    a large flat mass of ice (larger than an ice floe) floating at sea
    floe, ice floe
    a flat mass of ice (smaller than an ice field) floating at sea
    lakeshore, lakeside
    the shore of a lake
    lowland
    low level country
    maar
    a flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion; often filled with water
    mount, mountain
    a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
    mountainside, versant
    the side or slope of a mountain
    piedmont
    a gentle slope leading from the base of a mountain to a region of flat land
    plage
    the beach at a seaside resort
    precipice
    a very steep cliff
    foreland, head, headland, promontory
    a natural elevation (especially a rocky one that juts out into the sea)
    ridge
    a long narrow natural elevation or striation
    coast, sea-coast, seacoast, seashore
    the shore of a sea or ocean
    sink, sinkhole, swallow hole
    a depression in the ground communicating with a subterranean passage (especially in limestone) and formed by solution or by collapse of a cavern roof
    ski slope
    a snow-covered slope for skiing
    strand
    a poetic term for a shore (as the area periodically covered and uncovered by the tides)
    swell
    a rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor)
    deep, oceanic abyss, trench
    a long steep-sided depression in the ocean floor
    trough
    a narrow depression (as in the earth or between ocean waves or in the ocean bed)
    vale, valley
    a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
    type of:
    object, physical object
    a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
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