apophyllite

[ uh-pof-uh-lahyt, ap-uh-fil-ahyt ]

noun

a hydrous potassium and calcium silicate mineral occurring in white crystals.

Origin of apophyllite

First recorded in 1800–10; apo- + -phyll + -ite¹

Words Nearby apophyllite

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

How to use apophyllite in a sentence

apophyllite always occurs as distinct crystals, which belong to the tetragonal system.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3 | Various
apophyllite, a species of mineral of a foliated structure and pearly lustre, called also fish-eye stone.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 2 | Various

British Dictionary definitions for apophyllite

apophyllite

/ (əˈpɒfɪˌlaɪt, ˌæpəˈfɪlaɪt) /

noun

a white, colourless, pink, or green mineral consisting of a hydrated silicate of calcium, potassium, and fluorine in tetragonal crystalline form. It occurs in cracks in volcanic rocks. Formula: KCa 4 (Si 4 O 10) 2 (OH 1 F).8H 2 O

Origin of apophyllite

C19: from French, from apo- + Greek phullon leaf + -ite 1; referring to its tendency to exfoliate

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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