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phyllite

[fil-ahyt]
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noun
  1. a slaty rock, the cleavage planes of which have a luster imparted by minute scales of mica.

Origin of phyllite

First recorded in 1820–30; phyll- + -ite1
Related formsphyl·lit·ic [fi-lit-ik] /fɪˈlɪt ɪk/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for phyllite

Historical Examples

  • Geologically, the Erzgebirge range consists mainly of gneiss, mica and phyllite.

    Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7

    Various

British Dictionary definitions for phyllite

phyllite

noun
  1. a compact lustrous metamorphic rock, rich in mica, derived from a shale or other clay-rich rock
Derived Formsphyllitic (fɪˈlɪtɪk), adjective

Word Origin

C19: from phyll (o) - + -ite 1
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
phyllite in Science

phyllite

[fĭl′īt′]
  1. A green, gray, or red metamorphic rock, similar to slate but often having a wavy surface and a distinctive luster imparted by the presence of mica.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.