Weathering is the breaking down of rock where it lies. Chemical weathering, weathering of the stone, exposed to weathering.
It differs from erosion in that nothing is carried away — weathering breaks the rock and erosion moves the pieces. Freezing water splitting cracks is the classic physical kind; rain slightly acid with carbon dioxide is the chemical one, and it slowly draws that gas out of the air.
1nounweatheringThe breaking down of rock where it lies.
“Centuries of weathering have worn the statue's face almost smooth.”
weathering is a process.
Weather plus -ing. The word names what the weather does to stone over time.
Middle English
wederyng
English, today
weathering
From Middle English wederyng, equivalent to weather + -ing.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA