¹fissure

noun fis·sure \ˈfi-shər\

: a narrow opening or crack

Full Definition of FISSURE

: a narrow opening or crack of considerable length and depth usually occurring from some breaking or parting

a : a natural cleft between body parts or in the substance of an organ

b : a break or slit in tissue usually at the junction of skin and mucous membrane

: a separation or disagreement in thought or viewpoint : schism <fissures in a political party>

See fissure defined for English-language learners

See fissure defined for kids

Origin of FISSURE

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin fissura, from fissus

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to FISSURE

Synonyms: check, chink, cleft, cranny, crevice, crack, rift, split

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with FISSURE

fisher, swisher

²fissure

verb

fis·suredfis·sur·ing

Definition of FISSURE

transitive verb

: to break into fissures : cleave

intransitive verb

: crack, divide

First Known Use of FISSURE

1656

Rhymes with FISSURE

swisher

FISSURE Defined for Kids

fissure

noun fis·sure \ˈfi-shər\

Definition of FISSURE for Kids

: a narrow opening or crack

Medical Dictionary

fissure

noun fis·sure \ˈfish-ər, British also ˈfish-yu̇r\

Medical Definition of FISSURE

: a natural cleft between body parts or in the substance of an organ: as a : any of several clefts separating the lobes of the liver b : any of various clefts between bones or parts of bones in the skull c : any of the deep clefts of the brain; especially : one of those located at points of elevation in the walls of the ventricles—compare sulcus d : anterior median fissure; also : posterior median septum

: a break or slit in tissue usually at the junction of skin and mucous membrane <fissure of the lip>

: a linear developmental imperfection in the enamel of a tooth

—fis·sured \ˈfish-ərd, British also ˈfish-yu̇rd\ adjective