slickenside

noun

slick·​en·​side ˈsli-kən-ˌsīd How to pronounce slickenside (audio)
: a smooth often striated surface produced on rock by movement along a fault or a subsidiary fracture
usually used in plural

Examples of slickenside in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 150-foot-long and 75-foot-tall surface is one of the largest chert slickensides exposures in California. Thomas Graham, SFChronicle.com, 28 June 2018

Word History

Etymology

English dialect slicken smooth (from slick entry 1) + English side

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slickenside was in 1822

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Cite this Entry

“Slickenside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slickenside. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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