By Mayo Clinic Staff. Erectile dysfunction â the inability to get and keep an erection firm enough for sex â is a common problem. You've likely seen advertisements for erectile dysfunction herbs or supplements to increase your sexual performance..
plate tectonics. In geology, a theory that the Earth's lithosphere (crust and upper mantle) is divided into a number of large, plate-like sections that move as distinct masses. See Notes at fault, Gondwanaland, See more at tectonic boundary.
In geologic terms, a plate is a large, rigid slab of solid rock. Putting these two words together, we get the term plate tectonics, which refers to how the Earth's surface is built of plates.