noun
- a large, stable area of the Earth’s continental crust that has remained relatively unchanged for billions of years
Usage: geology
Examples
- The Canadian Shield is one of the world’s largest cratons.
- Cratons form the ancient cores of continents.
- Geologists study cratons to understand early Earth history.
- The African craton contains some of the oldest rocks on Earth.
- Diamond deposits are often found in craton regions.
- The stability of cratons makes them ideal for geological research.