batholith

noun

bath·​o·​lith ˈba-thə-ˌlith 

: a great mass of intruded igneous rock that for the most part stopped in its rise a considerable distance below the surface

batholithic

ˌba-thə-ˈli-thik 

adjective

Examples of batholith in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At Half Dome specifically, at least 10 people have fallen to their deaths while climbing the massive batholith since 2004 and hundreds more have been injured, according to news reports. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024

This granite discovery, known as a batholith, seems to be further proof that researchers are on the right track there. —Jackie Appel, Popular Mechanics, 14 July 2023

Alicia writes: Bald Rock Dome is a massive granite batholith in the northern Sierra, sculpted by wind and water into striking formations and curves and planes. —Ryan Fonsecastaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2023

This means that the volcanic rocks that make up Mineral King had to be sucked down between the invading Sierra Nevada batholith granite at a rate of ~1-2 km/Ma between ~108-98 Ma. —Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2013

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Batholith, from Greek báthos "depth" + German -o- -o- + -lith -lith

Note: The term was introduced by the Austrian geologist Eduard Suess (1831-1914) in Das Antlitz der Erde, Band 1 (Prague & Leipzig, 1883), p. 219.

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

batholith

noun

batho·​lith

ˈbath-ə-ˌlith

: a great mass of igneous rock that forced its way into or between other rocks and that stopped in its rise quite a distance below the surface