DIASTROPHISM

[di.as.tro.phism] n [Gk diastrophe twisting, fr. diastrephein to distort, fr. dia- + strephein to twist] (1890): the process of deformation that produces in the earth's crust its continents and ocean basins, plateaus and mountains, folds of strata, and faults -- di.a.stroph.ic adj -- di.a.stroph.i.cal.ly adv