tectonic

1. (not-comparable) Of or relating to construction or to architecture.
2. (not-comparable) Structural.
3. (not-comparable) Of, relating to, or caused by large-scale movements of the Earth's (or a similar planet's) lithosphere.
4. (figuratively, not-comparable) Momentous, utter, vast.

Etymology

1650s, in sense of building, from Late Latin tectonicus, from Ancient Greek τεκτονικός (tektonikós, “pertaining to building”), from Ancient Greek τέκτων (téktōn, “carpenter, joiner, maker”), from Proto-Indo-European *teḱ- (“to make”) (from which also texture). In sense of geology, attested 1894. By surface analysis, Ancient Greek τέκτων (téktōn) + -ic (“pertaining to”).

Synonyms

architectonic

architectural

structural

continental