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Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Rocks & Minerals

Metamorphic rock

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

/ˌmetəˈmɔːrfɪk rɑːk/nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, metamorphic rock means: Rock that has been changed by heat, pressure or hot fluids deep in the Earth without melting, such as marble formed from limestone.

In Turkish: metamorfik kayaç, başkalaşım kayacı

How it is used

The third main rock group. Geologists name the original rock (the protolith) and the grade of metamorphism: as temperature and pressure rise, shale becomes slate, then schist and gneiss. A layered texture called foliation is typical.

Example sentences

  1. Marble is a metamorphic rock that forms from limestone.

  2. The Menderes Massif in western Turkey is known for its metamorphic rocks.

Common collocations

  • high-grade metamorphic rock
  • low-grade metamorphic rock
  • foliated metamorphic rock
  • metamorphic belt
  • rock cycleThe model that shows how igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks change into one another over long periods through melting, weathering, burial and heat.
  • limestoneA sedimentary rock made mostly of calcium carbonate in the form of the mineral calcite, often built from the shells and skeletons of sea creatures.
  • igneous rockRock that forms when molten magma or lava cools and becomes solid. Granite forms slowly underground, while basalt forms quickly at the surface.
  • sedimentary rockRock formed when sediment such as sand, mud or shells is laid down in layers, then buried, pressed together and cemented over time.

More terms: Rocks & Minerals

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