aphanite

[ af-uh-nahyt ]

nounPetrography.

a fine-grained igneous rock having such compact texture that the constituent minerals cannot be detected with the naked eye.

Origin of aphanite

¹

1860–65; <Greek aphan(ḗs) unseen, hidden, invisible (a-a-⁶ + phanēs, adj. derivative of phaínein to bring to light, disclose) + -ite¹

Other words from aphanite

aph·a·nit·ic [af-uh-nit-ik], /ˌæf əˈnɪt ɪk/, adjective

Words Nearby aphanite

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

British Dictionary definitions for aphanite

aphanite

/ (ˈæfəˌnaɪt) /

noun

any fine-grained rock, such as a basalt, containing minerals that cannot be distinguished with the naked eye

Origin of aphanite

¹

C19: from Greek aphanēs invisible

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

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