chlorite

[ klawr-ahyt, klohr- ]

/ ˈklɔr aɪt, ˈkloʊr- /

noun

a group of minerals, hydrous silicates of aluminum, ferrous iron, and magnesium, occurring in green platelike crystals or scales.

Nearby words

chlorine, chlorine 36, chlorine acne, chlorine dioxide, chlorinity, chlorite, chlormerodrin, chloro-, chloroacetic, chloroacetic acid, chloroacetone

Origin of chlorite

First recorded in 1595–1605; chlor-¹ + -ite¹

Related forms

chlo·rit·ic

[klaw-rit-ik, kloh-] /klɔˈrɪt ɪk, kloʊ-/, adjective

Definition for chlorite (2 of 2)

chlorite

[ klawr-ahyt, klohr- ]

/ ˈklɔr aɪt, ˈkloʊr- /

noun

a salt of chlorous acid, as potassium chlorite, KClO2.

Origin of chlorite

First recorded in 1850–55; chlor-² + -ite¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for chlorite

In igneous rock the ore-bearing solutions may have altered the wall rock to a dense mixture of quartz, sericite, and chlorite.
The Economic Aspect of Geology|C. K. Leith
The three last-mentioned minerals—talc, serpentine, and chlorite—are all silicates of magnesia.
Geology|James Geikie
Veins of quartz, tourmaline and chlorite may traverse the granite, containing tinstone often in workable quantities.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 3|Various
Where chlorite is important, it is sometimes called chloritic or "propylitic" alteration.
The Economic Aspect of Geology|C. K. Leith

Melaphyre is a name given to the very dark varieties of altered augitic lavas, rich in magnetite and chlorite.
Volcanoes: Past and Present|Edward Hull

British Dictionary definitions for chlorite (1 of 2)

chlorite

/ (ˈklɔːraɪt) /

noun

any of a group of green soft secondary minerals consisting of the hydrated silicates of aluminium, iron, and magnesium in monoclinic crystalline form: common in metamorphic rocks

Derived Forms

chloritic (klɔːˈrɪtɪk), adjective

Word Origin for chlorite

C18: from Latin chlōrītis precious stone of a green colour, from Greek khlōritis, from khlōros greenish yellow

British Dictionary definitions for chlorite (2 of 2)

chlorite

/ (ˈklɔːraɪt) /

noun

any salt of chlorous acid, containing the monovalent ion ClO 2 –

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

Medicine definitions for chlorite

chlorite

[ klôr′īt′ ]

n.

A salt of chlorous acid.

The inorganic group ClO2 or a salt containing it.

Science definitions for chlorite (1 of 2)

chlorite

[ klôr′īt′ ]

A usually green or black, flaky mineral that looks like mica. Chlorite is either monoclinic or triclinic and occurs in low-grade metamorphic rocks (rocks that have undergone little metamorphism). It often forms by the alteration of dark minerals (often rich in iron and magnesium) during metamorphism. Chemical formula: (Mg,Fe,Al)6(Si,Al)4O10(OH)8.

Science definitions for chlorite (2 of 2)

chlorite

[ klôr′īt′ ]

A salt containing the group ClO2.