protaxisn.
/ˈprəʊtaksɪs/, U.S. /ˈproʊˌtæksəs/ Geology. Now historical.
An original or principal axis in a system of folding; a mountain chain corresponding to this.
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1890 J. D. Dana in Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer. 1 36 On account of the Archæan origin of these axial lines in the two mountain chains, and the fact that in their elevation the existence of the Appalachian and Rocky Mountain chains had their beginning, I propose to call each the Archæan protaxis of the chain.
1909 Jrnl. Geol. (Chicago) 17 1 The development of the Grenville series in a great tract of the Laurentian Protaxis.
1939 Econ. Geogr. 15 314/1 Dioritic basalt and serpentine formations..are the most ancient rocks in Cuba, and are generally found along the protaxis of the island.
1982 Geologische Rundschau 71 452 In 1889 Dana discussed continental growth in terms of accretion of sediments around ‘Archaean Protaxes’ which, together with the continental nucleus of the Canadian Shield, he regarded as the oldest features of the continent.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1890