Lithosphere

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Lithosphere \Lith"o*sphere\, n. [Litho- + sphere.] (Phys. Geog.)
     (a) The solid earth as distinguished from its fluid
         envelopes, the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
     (b) The outer part of the solid earth, the portion undergoing
         change through the gradual transfer of material by
         volcanic eruption, the circulation of underground water,


         and the process of erosion and deposition. It is,
         therefore, regarded as a third mobile envelope comparable
         with the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
         [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  lithosphere
       n : the solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and
           outer mantle [syn: {geosphere}]