Mohorovičić discontinuity
/ˈmoʊhoʊ/
noun
Origin
Croatian
Andrija Mohorovičić — Proper name of the discoverer
Overview
Meaning Now
- The boundary surface between the Earth's crust and the mantle, characterized by a sharp increase in the velocity of seismic waves.
Literal older meaning
Named after Andrija Mohorovičić
Language path
Croatian → International Scientific Vocabulary
Earliest form
Mohorovičić discontinuity
Earliest period
1909
Journey
Discovered by the Croatian meteorologist and seismologist Andrija Mohorovičić in 1909, the boundary was identified by analyzing seismic waves from a local earthquake, proving the Earth's interior is layered rather than homogeneous.
Evolution
- 1909
Mohorovičićeva diskontinuiteta
“Mohorovičić discontinuity”
Original Croatian discovery terminology
- 1960s
Moho
“Shortened scientific jargon”
Acronymic shortening used in Project Mohole and wider geology
Connections
Word parts
Moho
root
Abbreviation of the surname Mohorovičić
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.