noun
- large masses of intrusive igneous rock that formed deep underground and are exposed at the earth’s surface through erosion
Usage: geology
Examples
- The Sierra Nevada mountains contain some of the largest batholiths in North America.
- Granite batholiths form the core of many mountain ranges.
- Geologists study batholiths to understand how magma cools slowly beneath the earth’s surface.
- The Idaho Batholith covers thousands of square miles.
- Ancient batholiths are now visible after millions of years of erosion.
- These massive batholiths were formed when magma chambers solidified underground.