tongue

1. A minor rock-stratigraphic unit of limited geographic extent; it disappears laterally in one direction. 2. A lava flow branching from a larger flow. 3. A protrusion ofwater into a region of different temperature, or salinity, or dissolved oxygen concentrating. 4. A protrusion of one water mass into a region occupied by a different water mass.

Related terms:

• dry tongue
• warm tongue
• cold tongue
• lentil
• ice tongue
• solifluction tongue
• warm-tongue steering