fi
ssure
Plural
fissures
1
(in geology) a narrow break or crack that partially divides a rock or surface without completely separating it
- Deep fissures lined the walls of the crumbling canyon formed by erosion over centuries.
- A network of small fissures had begun to appear in the aging concrete foundation.
- The tectonic plates pulled apart, causing a new fissure to emerge in the earth's surface.
2
(in anatomy) a deep groove between parts of an organ or bodily structure
- A fissure between two finger bones had developed from repeated microtraumas caused by sports injuries over time.
- Ultrasound imaging revealed a fissure separating part of the liver, likely resulting from previous abdominal trauma.
- During the autopsy, the medical examiner observed a small fissure in one of the lung lobes.
3
a separation between people caused by conflicting beliefs or interests
- The board's decision sparked a fissure between the marketing and finance teams.
- Years of mistrust created a cultural fissure within the multinational workforce.
- A single misstep in negotiations formed an unbridgeable fissure in the alliance.
- Public outcry over the policy exposed a fissure in the community's consensus.
- Generational gaps often widen into ideological fissures at family gatherings.