1. Large-scale, slow vertical movement of the Earth's crust over broad areas, without significant folding or faulting.
Usage: geology; technical

Examples

• Epirogeny caused the gradual uplift of the continental platform over millions of years.
• The geologist studied epirogeny to understand how vast regions of the continent rose and fell.
• Unlike orogeny, which creates mountains through intense folding, epirogeny produces gentle, broad warping of the crust.
• Evidence of epirogeny can be seen in the slow subsidence of sedimentary basins.
• The Precambrian shields experienced significant epirogeny during their formation.