imbrication.

An arrangement in which adjacent elements overlap like tiles or scales.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• the imbrication of scales
• sedimentary imbrication
• imbrication of roof tiles

On the page

The imbrication of the roof tiles guided rain into a narrow gutter.

Her account revealed an imbrication of family obligations and political favors.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary. Forms: Usually uncountable; plural imbrications for separate overlapping arrangements. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.