— diastrophic /duy'euh strof"ik, -stroh"fik/ , adj. — diastrophically , adv.
/duy as"treuh fiz'euhm/ , n. Geol.
1. Also called tectonism . the action of the forces that cause the earth's crust to be deformed, producing continents, mountains, changes of level, etc.
2. any such resulting deformation.
[ 1880-85; diastroph ( é ) a distortion (see DIA-, STROPHE) + -ISM ]