foliation
1
9.9
Thin flat layers in rock formed by pressure and heat
- noun
- /ˌfoʊliˈeɪʃən/
- Specialized
:
foliación
- Under these conditions, foliation will occur as the rock shortens along one axis during recrystallisation.
Examples
-
The foliation of the granite indicates a significant metamorphic history.
-
Geologists study foliation patterns to understand the tectonic forces acting on the rock.
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The visible foliation in this schist shows how intense pressure sculpted its structure.
Synonyms
1
3.7
Rock or soil that forms in layers over time
is specific to thin leaflike layers formed by metamorphic processes
How Layered
Surface Forms
foliation singular
foliations plural
Morphology
foliation = foliate (semi-transparent) = foli + ation
Geological 'foliation' (leaflike layering in rock) is metaphorically from 'foliate', but the technical geological meaning is specialized.
Etymology
Foliation comes from the Latin folium meaning 'leaf' and describes thin, 'leaf-like' layers or sheets. In geology, foliation means the rock has been formed into these leaf-like layers by pressure, which is why the word fits the pattern we see in the stone.