fissure

Everyday

1. A fissure is a long, narrow crack, especially in rock or the ground. tree →
2. In the body a fissure is a natural groove, such as a fold in the brain, or a small painful crack in the skin. tree →
3. A fissure can also mean a split or disagreement between people in a group. tree →

In the lessons

In geography and science lessons it is a crack where lava comes out of a volcano (a fissure eruption) or where earthquakes split the ground. Phrases: «a fissure in the rock», «volcanic fissure», «fissure eruption».

Examples

• Lava poured out of a long fissure in the ground. tree →
• The climber put her hand into a fissure in the rock. tree →
• After the earthquake a fissure opened across the road. tree →
• In Iceland some volcanoes erupt from fissures. tree →
• Water seeped through the fissures in the cave. tree →
• The brain has deep fissures and folds. tree →
• A fissure grew between the two friends after the argument. tree →
• Never go near fissures on a volcano; hot gas can come out. tree →
• He walked and walked, and came to a hill: in that hill was a fissure, and in the fissure stood a hut. tree →

Note

Countable. Say «FISH-er». A fissure is longer and deeper than a little crack. Not to be confused with «fission», the splitting of atoms.