olivine

American

[ol-uh-veen, ol-uh-veen] / ˈɒl əˌvin, ˌɒl əˈvin /

noun

Mineralogy. any of a group of magnesium iron silicates, (Mg,Fe) 2 SiO 4 , occurring in olive-green to gray-green masses as an important constituent of basic igneous rocks.

olivine British

/ ˌɒlɪˈviːn, ˈɒlɪˌviːn /

noun

Also called: chrysolite. an olive-green mineral of the olivine group, found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. The clear-green variety (peridot) is used as a gemstone. Composition: magnesium iron silicate. Formula: (MgFe) 2 SiO 4 . Crystal structure: orthorhombic
any mineral in the group having the general formula (Mg,Fe,Mn,Ca) 2 SiO 4

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

olivine Scientific

/ ŏl′ə-vēn′ /

An olive-green to brownish-green orthorhombic mineral. Olivine is a common mineral in the igneous rocks, such as basalt and gabbro, that make up most of the Earth's crust beneath the oceans. Chemical formula: (Mg,Fe) ₂ SiO ₄ .
◆ Olivine in which the mafic component consists entirely of magnesium is called forsterite. Chemical formula: Mg ₂ SiO ₄ .
◆ Olivine in which the mafic component consists entirely of iron is called fayalite. Chemical formula: Fe ₂ SiO ₄ .

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of olivine

1785–95; < German Olivin, equivalent to Olive olive + -in -ine ²

Vocabulary lists containing olivine

Rocks and Minerals - Middle School and High School

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Michelle and Lavinia met up with a woman called Olivine, who Michelle believed was a new first cousin to both her and her twin.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

And when Olivine took out photographs of her family, Lavinia didn't see herself in their faces.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

Olivine crystals: Greenish mineral grains commonly found in Earth's mantle and volcanic rocks; they can preserve ancient geochemical clues.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2025

Olivine is a mafic mineral at the top of the Bowen’s Reaction series with a high melting point and a smaller percentage of silica versus other common igneous minerals.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

Olivine Some varieties give off fluorine, when fused with microcosmic salt.

From A System of Instruction in the Practical Use of the Blowpipe Being A Graduated Course Of Analysis For The Use Of Students And All Those Engaged In The Examination Of Metallic Combinations by Anonymous

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023