fissures
Crevices in rock
Fissures are narrow cracks or splits in a surface.
The earth's crust develops fissures; so do rocks, ice sheets, and dry skin.
In medicine, a fissure is a groove or cleft in tissue—the brain has fissures separating its lobes, and an anal fissure is a painful tear.
Figuratively, fissures appear in relationships, alliances, or institutions: Fissures emerged in the coalition over immigration policy.
Narrow splits in surfaces
- fractureSplit in hard material
- cleftNarrow vertical split
- riftCrack or estrangement
- splitSeparation into parts
gap · breach · rupture · chasm · rent · gash · slit · groove
Formal organizational fracture
- riftCrack or estrangement
- splitSeparation into parts
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- fractureSplit in hard material
breach · rupture · cleavage · separation · disunion · discord · estrangement · fragmentation
Fractures between tectonic plates
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- seismicRelating to ground tremors
- earthquakeSeismic ground movement
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
canyon · ravine · volcanic · magma · hydrothermal · geothermal · vent · lava tube
Atmospheric breakdown of materials
- canyonDeep river-cut gorge
- gullyChannel carved by flowing water
- ravineDeep, narrow valley
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
abrasion · corrosion · glacier · riverbed · valley · rockslide · scree · badlands
Groove in tissue
- cerebralRelating to intellect
- longitudinalAlong the longer dimension
- corticalOf an outer layer
- orbitalRevolving around another
Having surface fractures
- lesionArea of pathological change
- woundCoiled, or an injury
- tearTo pull apart
- ulcerErosive tissue wound
dermatology · chapped · rectal · tissue damage · inflammation · painful
crevices
Narrow splits in surfaces
split · gap · breach · rupture · chasm · rent · gash · slit · groove · seam
schism
Formal organizational fracture
- riftCrack or estrangement
- splitSeparation into parts
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
fracture · breach · rupture · cleavage · separation · disunion · discord · estrangement · fragmentation · splintering
faultlines
Fractures between tectonic plates
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- seismicRelating to ground tremors
- earthquakeSeismic ground movement
subduction · canyon · ravine · volcanic · magma · hydrothermal · geothermal · vent · lava tube · karst
weathering
Atmospheric breakdown of materials
sediment · abrasion · corrosion · glacier · riverbed · valley · rockslide · scree · badlands · freeze-thaw
sulcus
Groove in tissue
- cerebralRelating to intellect
- longitudinalAlong the longer dimension
- corticalOf an outer layer
cracked
Having surface fractures
ulcer · dermatology · chapped · rectal · tissue damage · inflammation · painful
- irregularitiesbumps, dents, ridges, grooves, ripples
- rocky terraincliffs, boulders, scree, outcrops, rockfall
- neuroanatomybrain, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus
- respiratory systemlungs, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, airways
- bark featurestexture, color, thickness, ridges, furrows
- brain partscerebellum, hippocampus, brainstem, thalamus, hypothalamus
fissuresintactness
State of being undamaged
closures · solidity · seals · wholeness · continuity