Relating to or caused by the formation and development of continents; describing slow, broad-scale crustal uplift and subsidence.
From Greek 'epeira' (continent) + '-genic' (producing, causing). This geological term emerged in the late 19th century to classify landscape-building processes.
Epeirogenic movements are incredibly slow—sometimes just millimeters per century—but over millions of years they create entire stable continents and can actually change sea levels worldwide!
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