anorthite

[ an-awr-thahyt ]

/ ænˈɔr θaɪt /

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noun Mineralogy.

a white or gray feldspar mineral, CaAl2Si2O8, calcic plagioclase.

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Origin of anorthite

First recorded in 1825–35; an-¹ + orth- + -ite¹

OTHER WORDS FROM anorthite

an·or·thit·ic

[an-awr-thit-ik], /ˌæn ɔrˈθɪt ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby anorthite

anorexia nervosa, anorexiant, anorexic, anorgasmia, anorthic, anorthite, anorthoclase, anorthosite, anoscope, anosmia, another

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use anorthite in a sentence

Rougemonite consists largely of anorthite with pyroxene as the only important ferro-magnesian constituent.
Montreal 1535-1914 under the French Rgime|William Henry Atherton
Anorthite is an essential constituent of many basic igneous rocks, such as gabbro and basalt, also of some meteoric stones.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 2|Various
The name anorthite was given to the Vesuvian mineral by G. Rose in 1823, on account of its anorthic crystallization.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 2|Various
Anorthite occurs in white translucent or transparent crystals.
Geology|James Geikie

Like labradorite and anorthite, it is a common constituent of basic igneous rocks, such as gabbro and basalt.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 4|Various

British Dictionary definitions for anorthite

anorthite

/ (ænˈɔːθaɪt) /

noun

a white to greyish-white or reddish-white mineral of the feldspar group and plagioclase series, found chiefly in igneous rocks and more rarely in metamorphic rocks. It is used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics. Composition: calcium aluminium silicate. Formula: CaAl 2 Si 2 O 8 . Crystal structure: triclinic

Derived forms of anorthite

anorthitic (ˌænɔːˈθɪtɪk), adjective

Word Origin for anorthite

C19: from an- + ortho- + -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

Scientific definitions for anorthite

anorthite

[ ăn-ôr′thīt ]

A white to gray triclinic mineral of the plagioclase feldspar group. Anorthite is the plagioclase mineral that is richest in calcium and occurs in alkaline igneous rocks such as gabbro. Chemical formula: CaAl2Si2O8.