lithification
/ˌlɪθɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
noun
- The process by which loose sediment (like sand or mud) is turned into solid rock over time, usually by being buried and compressed.
- Lithification turns layers of sand into sandstone over millions of years.
- The study of lithification helps geologists understand how fossils are preserved in rock.
- Without lithification, the soft mud at the bottom of the ocean would never become shale.