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outthrust

outthrust

1 8.9
A piece of rock that sticks out from a cliff or hill
  • noun
  • /ˈaʊtˌθrʌst/
  • Specialized
translation icon : saliente
  • As we hiked, we encountered an outthrust of rocks that offered a perfect view of the valley below.

Examples

  • The ancient ruins were situated on an outthrust of land, giving them a strategic vantage point over the surroundings.

  • The sharp cliff had an impressive outthrust that made it look like a giant's arm reaching into the sky.

  • "What is the condition?" Ten-ree asked, still clutching his outthrust knife.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The bundle in Evie's outthrust hand was obscenely thick.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The man gazed at Anne, who was artfully posed with one hip outthrust.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The generals looked, nodded again, and rode off, Hill all business in the saddle, Ewell instantly recognizable because of his outthrust wooden leg.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Big gunky black eyelashes, electric-blue eye shadow, pointy outthrust breasts, and a lot of platinum-blond phony-looking hair.

    Academic text (2006)

Synonyms

outcropping
vsoutthrust
  • Specialized
8 7.0

A piece of rock that sticks out from the ground

is the broader name for a rocky section that juts out from land
protrusion
vsoutthrust
6 6.8

A part that sticks out from a surface

is the term for a rocky or land part that protrudes outward
jut
vsoutthrust
2 6.5

A part that sticks out from a surface, like a rock or shelf

is used for rocky parts that stick out rather than for the action
rock outcrop
vsoutthrust
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A piece of hard rock that sticks out above the ground

is the general term for a rocky part that projects outward from a surface
extrusion
vsoutthrust
1 8.1

A part that sticks out from a surface like a rock or bone

is narrower, focusing on rock or land jutting rather than any protuberance
outfling
vsoutthrust
  • Archaic
9.9

A piece that sticks out from a surface, for example on a wall

is the geological term specifically for rock or land projections

Antonyms

1 7.4

To put something into a space so it sits level with the surface

How Prominent

promontory
5 8.1
headland
4 6.2
outthrust
  • Specialized
1 8.9
to outcrop
  • Specialized
7.5
bulge
42 3.2

Surface Forms

outthrust singular
outthrusts plural

Morphology

outthrust = thrust (transparent) = out + thrust

The meaning is directly derived from the productive prefix 'out-' (outward) combined with 'thrust', yielding something that projects or juts outward.

Etymology

Outthrust combines out ('outward') and thrust ('to push'). Think of a piece of rock 'pushed out' from a surface — that's why an outthrust is a part of rock that sticks out.