congelifraction

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/kənˈd͡ʒɛlɪˌfɹækʃən/

noun

the weathering of material through the repeated freezing and thawing of water.

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Meanings

nouncongelifraction (uncountable)
  1. uncountablethe weathering of material through the repeated freezing and thawing of water.

    Congelifraction occurs in mountains where frosts and thaws alternate.

    2007, QA International, Understanding the Earth, →ISBN, page 73
    1 more example

    The rubble is produced by intense frost riving, or congelifraction (Bryan, 1946, p. 640), of the bedrock.

    1960, Arthur T. Fernald, "Geomorphology of the Upper Kuskokwim region, Alaska", U.S. Geological Survey, Geological Survey Bulletin, issue 1071, page 215

Origin

Coined by Kirk Bryan in 1946 in "Cryopedology—the study of frozen ground and intensive frost action with suggestions on nomenclature" in the American Journal of Science, volume 244, pages 622–642.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with congelifraction

actiontransactionsatisfactioninteractionreactionattractionfractionextractiontractioncontractionfactiondistractionsubtractionrefractioninfractionredactionimpactiondetractionstupefactionaerifactionalternate actionassuefactionautoextractiondidaction
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

congelifraction. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/congelifraction

MLA

“congelifraction.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/congelifraction. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “congelifraction,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/congelifraction.

Source: congelifraction on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.