fissure

1 of 2

noun

fis·​sure ˈfi-shər 

1

: a narrow opening or crack of considerable length and depth usually occurring from some breaking or parting

a fissure in the earth's crust

2

a

: a natural cleft between body parts or in the substance of an organ

b

: a break or slit in tissue usually at the junction of skin and mucous membrane

3

: a separation or disagreement in thought or viewpoint : schism

fissures in a political party

fissure

2 of 2

verb

fissured; fissuring

transitive verb

: to break into fissures : cleave

intransitive verb

: crack, divide

Synonyms

Noun

• check
• chink
• cleft
• crack
• cranny
• crevice
• rift
• split

Examples of fissure in a Sentence

Noun

a fissure in the Earth's crust

a deep fissure in the ice

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The coronavirus pandemic magnified gaps in access to health care, and new political fissures opened over the government response. —Maya King, New York Times, 18 May 2024

The researchers came across a variety of minerals along fissures and grooves on the cave surfaces. —Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024

Verb

Challenges ahead Bailey is becoming chief at a time when deadly shootings by officers have exploded, fissuring relationships with the community that remain strained from the police killing of George Floyd in 2020 and fatal shooting of Dreasjon Reed by an Indianapolis officer on May 6 the same year. —Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Feb. 2024

Beginning with the backlash to the 2008 election of Barack Obama, Lowery examines how American society has fissured in the past 15 years, profiling the victims of white supremacy and the institutions that support it. CALIFORNIA, A SLAVE STATE, by Jean Pfaelzer. —New York Times, 23 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French fissure, borrowed from Latin fissūra "splitting, crack, opening," from fissus, past participle of findere "to split, cleave" + -ūra -ure — more at bite entry 1

Verb

derivative of fissure entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1656, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

fissure

noun

fis·​sure

ˈfish-ər

1

: a narrow opening or crack

a fissure in rock

2

: a narrow natural space between body parts (as bones of the skull) or in the material making up an organ

fissure verb

Medical Definition

fissure

noun

fis·​sure ˈfish-ər, British also ˈfish-yu̇r 

1

: a natural cleft between body parts or in the substance of an organ: as

a

: any of several clefts separating the lobes of the liver

b

: any of various clefts between bones or parts of bones in the skull

c

: any of the deep clefts of the brain

especially : one of those located at points of elevation in the walls of the ventricles compare sulcus

d

: anterior median fissure

also : posterior median septum

2

: a break or slit in tissue usually at the junction of skin and mucous membrane

fissure of the lip

3

: a linear developmental imperfection in the enamel of a tooth

fissured

ˈfish-ərd, British also ˈfish-yu̇rd 

adjective