What does diagenetically mean?
Diagenetically is the technical adverb for diagenesis, the geological processes that change deposited sediment after burial. It typically indicates that a property or feature results from compaction, cementation, dissolution, mineral replacement, or another post-depositional process. In a sentence, it functions as an adverb of manner, modifying such terms as altered, modified, or transformed. The word is chiefly encountered in geology, sedimentology, petroleum geology, and related earth sciences, rather than in general conversation. Its formation differs from the familiar biological sense of genetic: diagenetically describes the geological history of materials, not biological inheritance. This specialized meaning is important when interpreting phrases such as diagenetically altered, because the alteration may involve minerals moving through a rock or pores being reduced under pressure. Recognized in context, the word communicates precisely that the process belongs to the post-depositional transformation of rocks.
adverbIn a way relating to or resulting from diagenesis, the geological processes that form or alter rocks after deposition.
- In a manner involving or resulting from the geological formation or post-depositional alteration of rocks.
"Burial compaction can diagenetically reduce the porosity of the sediment."
"Burial compaction can diagenetically reduce the porosity of the sediment."
"The fossils were diagenetically altered by mineral replacement after burial."
Diagenetically remembers that rocks do not stop changing when they form: compaction, dissolution, and cementation keep rewriting their fabric underground.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does diagenetically come from?
The geological term diagenesis was formed in the 19th century from Greek dia-, meaning “through,” and genesis, referring to origin, production, or formation. Diagenetic was derived from diagenesis with the suffix -etic, and diagenetically is the standard adverbial form of that adjective. The same Greek element genesis underlies related English formations such as genetic and epigenetic, although those generally concern biological rather than geological processes.
Related word forms
How diagenetically is actually used
This is specialized technical vocabulary used chiefly in geology, sedimentology, petroleum geology, and related earth sciences. It is relatively uncommon outside those fields.
Easily confused with diagenetically
Diagenetically describes geological processes acting on rocks or sediments, whereas genetically usually concerns biological inheritance or variation.