columnar jointing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “columnar jointing” mean?
A geological formation where rock fractures into polygonal, often hexagonal, columns, typically due to cooling and contraction.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A geological formation where rock fractures into polygonal, often hexagonal, columns, typically due to cooling and contraction.
Any structural or natural pattern resembling vertical, closely-packed columns, often used metaphorically to describe similar formations in other materials or contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; spelling of 'columnar' is consistent. Potential minor pronunciation variation in the stress of 'columnar'.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, confined to specialist discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “columnar jointing” in a Sentence
The [rock type] exhibits columnar jointing.Columnar jointing is visible in the [location].[Location] is famous for its columnar jointing.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “columnar jointing” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The cliff face had a striking columnar-jointed appearance.
- They studied the columnar-jointed lavas.
American English
- The cliff face had a striking columnar-jointed appearance.
- They studied the columnar-jointed lava flows.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in geology, earth science, and physical geography papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Extremely rare; might be used by tourists or guides at notable sites like Giant's Causeway.
Technical
The primary context. Describes a specific physical weathering/fracturing process.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “columnar jointing”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “columnar jointing”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “columnar jointing”
- Misspelling as 'columbar jointing' or 'colonnar jointing'.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'The rock columnar jointed').
- Confusing it with 'columniation' (an architectural term for a system of columns).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most iconic in basalt, it can occur in other igneous rocks like andesite and rhyolite, and even in some sedimentary rocks and man-made materials like slag.
It is primarily caused by tensile stress during the cooling and contraction of a homogeneous material, leading to a network of contraction cracks that propagate inward.
Yes, the most famous example is the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Other examples include Fingal's Cave in Scotland and the Isle of Staffa.
'Columnar basalt' refers to basalt rock that has formed into columns. 'Columnar jointing' is the geological process or the resulting fracture pattern that creates those columns, which can occur in other rock types too.
A geological formation where rock fractures into polygonal, often hexagonal, columns, typically due to cooling and contraction.
Columnar jointing is usually technical/scientific in register.
Columnar jointing: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈlʌmnə ˈdʒɔɪntɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈlʌmnər ˈdʒɔɪntɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None - technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine COLUMNS in a building, but made of rock and JOINED together in a pattern - 'columnar jointing'.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATURE'S ARCHITECTURE; Rock as a fractured, ordered structure.
Practice
Quiz
Columnar jointing is most commonly associated with which rock type?