argillaceous
Americanadjective
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Geology, Petrology. of the nature of or resembling clay; clayey.
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containing a considerable amount of clayey matter.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of argillaceous
First recorded in 1725–35, argillaceous is from the Latin word argillāceus clayish. See argil, -aceous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Geologist Paula Messina showed that the ground is covered by argillaceous sediments and bacterial mats, forming under wet conditions a very slippery surface.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 22, 2013
The girls ticked off aquarellist, staphylococcic, gracilescent, adscititious, eupraxia, argillaceous, autochthan and umbelliferous.
From Time Magazine Archive
The argillaceous slates or clayey slates make a smooth surface, but one which is easily destroyed when wet.
From The Future of Road-making in America by Archer Bulter Hulbert
A small proportion of argillaceous sand, clayey, or earthy matter contained in some gravel enables it to pack readily and consolidate under traffic or the road roller.
From The Future of Road-making in America by Archer Bulter Hulbert
When much silica is diffused through the rock, we have a siliceous limestone; the presence of clay and of carbonaceous matter gives us argillaceous and carbonaceous limestones.
From Geology by James Geikie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
