argillaceous

American  

[ahr-juh-ley-shuhs] / ˌɑr dʒəˈleɪ ʃəs /

adjective

1. Geology, Petrology. of the nature of or resembling clay; clayey.

2. containing a considerable amount of clayey matter.

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argillaceous British  

/ ˌɑːdʒɪˈleɪʃəs /

adjective

1. (of sedimentary rocks and deposits) composed of very fine-grained material, such as clay, shale, etc Compare arenaceous rudaceous

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Etymology

Origin of argillaceous

First recorded in 1725–35, argillaceous is from the Latin word argillāceus clayish. See argil, -aceous

Example Sentences

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

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 Geikie, James

"The Kennebeck River is there observed rushing through a breach which has been formed by the disruption of stratified argillaceous slate."

From Forest Life and Forest Trees: comprising winter camp-life among the loggers, and wild-wood adventure. with Descriptions of lumbering operations on the various rivers of Maine and New Brunswick by Springer, John S.

The southern coast, as we have already said, consists of a long narrow strip of argillaceous schist and detritus, with a very steep inclination, and overtopped throughout its length by high cliffs of jura limestone.

From Travels in the Steppes of the Caspian Sea, the Crimea, the Caucasus, &c. by Hell, Xavier Hommaire de