peridotite

[per-i-doh-tahyt, puh-rid-uh-tahyt]

noun

1. a coarsely granular igneous rock composed chiefly of olivine with an admixture of various other minerals.

peridotite

/ ˌpɛrɪdəʊˈtɪtɪk, ˌpɛrɪˈdəʊtaɪt /

noun

1. a dark coarse-grained ultrabasic plutonic igneous rock consisting principally of olivine

peridotite

1. A coarse-grained igneous rock that consists mainly of olivine and pyroxene. It is believed to be one of the main constituent rocks of the Earth's mantle.

Other Word Forms

• peridotitic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of peridotite¹

From French, dating back to 1895–1900; peridot, -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of peridotite¹

C19: from French, from _peridot

Example Sentences

The only hiccup came when the recovered peridotite rocks contained veins of asbestos, prompting increased safety protocols.

Read more on Science Magazine

A mantle rock called peridotite reacts with water and air once it’s exposed, sucking out carbon dioxide and petrifying it—a lot of it—in newly created minerals.

Read more on Scientific American

The Lost City vents were found to arise by a process termed serpentinization — a chemical interaction between water and a type of rock called peridotite that contains minerals enriched in magnesium, iron and silica.

Read more on Nature

For instance, scientists have long known that certain minerals, like peridotite, can bind with carbon dioxide in the air and essentially convert the gas into solid rock.

Read more on New York Times

We know that to a depth of about a hundred miles the mantle consists predominantly of a type of rock known as peridotite, but what fills the space beyond is uncertain.

Read more on Literature