achondrite

[ey-kon-drahyt]

noun

1. a meteorite containing no chondrules.

achondrite

/ eɪˈkɒndraɪt, ˌeɪkɒnˈdrɪtɪk /

noun

1. a rare stony meteorite that consists mainly of silicate minerals and has the texture of igneous rock but contains no chondrules Compare chondrite

achondrite

1. A stony meteorite that does not contain chondrules.

Other Word Forms

• achondritic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of achondrite¹

First recorded in 1900–05; a- ⁶ + chondrite

Example Sentences

Analysis of the Almahata Sitta meteorite reveals that it is an achondrite, a rare type of space rock that comes from celestial bodies that are large enough to generate internal heat early in their history so as to produce metallic cores surrounded by rock.

Read more on Scientific American