Orogeny
[aw-roj-uh-nee]

Definition
The process of mountain formation that happens when two tectonic plates collide, either pushing the Earth’s crust upwards or forcing one plate below another.

Origin
From the French orogénie meaning “mountain forming”

Example
The long mountain chains along the edge of continents are often formed through orogeny. They include the Himalayas, formed by a tectonic collision that pushed material upwards, and the Andes, a volcanic chain formed when one tectonic plate subducted another.