continental drift

continental drift

n.

The movement, formation, or re-formation of continents described by the theory of plate tectonics.

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continental drift

Noun

Geol the theory that the earth's continents drift gradually over the surface of the planet, due to currents in its mantle

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continental drift

A theory stating that the Earth's continents have been joined together and have moved away from each other at different times in the Earth's history. The theory was first proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912. While his general idea of continental movement eventually became widely accepted, his explanation for the mechanism of the movement has been supplanted by the theory of plant tectonics. See more at plate tectonics.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

continental drift - the gradual movement and formation of continents (as described by plate tectonics) geological phenomenon - a natural phenomenon involving the structure or composition of the earth