fissure

/ˈfɪʃər/
noun
  1. A long, narrow crack or opening in a surface, especially in rock or the ground.
    • Water seeped into the fissure in the sidewalk.
    • The earthquake created a deep fissure in the desert floor.
    • A small fissure in the dam needed to be repaired immediately.
  2. A division or split between people, groups, or ideas.
    • The political fissure between the two parties grew wider over time.
    • The family reunion helped heal the fissure between the siblings.
    • There was a fissure in the community after the controversial decision.
  3. A narrow groove or fold in the surface of an organ, such as the brain.
    • The doctor pointed out a fissure in the liver during the surgery.
    • Each fissure in the cerebral cortex has a specific name and function.
    • The brain's fissures increase its surface area.
verb
  1. To split or crack open, forming a long narrow opening.
    • The old wall started to fissure after years of weathering.
    • The dry ground began to fissure under the intense heat.
    • Pressure caused the rock to fissure along a weak line.
Antonyms
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