Meaning & use
continental drift
The theory that the Earth's continents have moved slowly over geological time, once forming a single landmass before drifting apart.
See it in a sentence
Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift in the early twentieth century.
Continental drift explains why the coastlines of Africa and South America seem to fit together like puzzle pieces.
A note on using this word
Continental drift was Wegener's original theory; it was later refined and explained by the modern theory of plate tectonics.
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