falten

Falten is the German plural noun for Falte, meaning a fold, crease, or pleat. The term is used across several fields to denote a structural change where a layer is bent or compressed, producing a visible line or ridge.

The word derives from the verb falten, to fold, and appears in Germanic languages with related meanings. In broader use, Falten can describe any crease or folded feature in materials, skin, or geological formations.

In clothing and textiles, Falten refer to pleats or folded sections of fabric. They can be created by sewing, pressing, or sewing and pressing, and serve decorative, functional, or volume-controlling purposes. Common types include knife pleats, box pleats, and inverted pleats.

In anatomy and everyday language, Falten denote wrinkles or creases in the skin, typically due to aging, sun exposure, or repetitive facial movement. They are also observed as folds in tissue and other body surfaces, including internal membranes or organ linings in a descriptive sense.

In geology, Falten describe the bending and bending of rock layers into folds produced by compressional forces, forming structures such as anticlines and synclines. The study of folds, including hinge lines and limb angles, helps interpret the geological history of mountain belts and sedimentary basins.

In biology, the process is more commonly described as Faltung (protein folding) rather than Falten. Nevertheless, the general concept of folding applies across disciplines, including botany for leaf folds and in art or architecture for draped or pleated forms.