Covering with a design in which one element covers a part of another (as with tiles or shingles)

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Imbrication is a phenomenon occurring in many Bantu languages in which morphemes interweave in certain morphophonological conditions. For example, consider the Setswana verb root -rek-a ("buy"). The passive voice is formed by adding the extension -w- to ...

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Imbrication \Im`bri*ca"tion\, n. [Cf. F. imbrication.] An overlapping of the edges, like that of tiles or shingles; hence, intricacy of structure; also, a pattern or decoration representing such a structure.

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. covering with a design in which one element covers a part of another (as with tiles or shingles) [syn: overlapping , lapping ]

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1640s, from French imbrication , from Latin imbricare "to cover with tiles," from imbricem (nominative imbrex ) "curved roof tile used to draw off rain," from imber (genitive imbris ) "rain," from PIE *ombh-ro- "rain" (cognates: Sanskrit abhra "cloud, thunder-cloud, ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 a set of tiles or shingles that overlap like the scales of a fish 2 (context medicine English) overlapping of layers of tissue in wound closure or correctional surgery 3 (context geology English) a sedimentary deposition in which small, flat stones ...