conchoidal

American

[kong-koid-l] / kɒŋˈkɔɪd l /

adjective

Mineralogy.

noting a shell-like fracture form produced on certain minerals by a blow.

conchoidal British

/ kɒŋˈkɔɪdəl /

adjective

(of the fracture of minerals and rocks) having smooth shell-shaped convex and concave surfaces
(of minerals and rocks, such as flint) having such a fracture

"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

conchoidal Scientific

/ kŏng-koid′l /

Of or relating to a mineral or rock surface that is characterized by smooth, shell-like curves. Obsidian and quartz often have conchoidal fractures.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of conchoidal

First recorded in 1660–70; conchoid + -al ¹

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.

See Examples For:

conchoidal

A conchoidal fracture has a smooth, curved surface like a shallow bowl or conch shell, often with curved ridges.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017

Mineral fracture surfaces may be rough, uneven, or show a conchoidal fracture.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017

Frequently it is in chips, or fragments, all of which indicate a smooth conchoidal fracture.

From Scenes and Andventures in the Semi-Alpine Region of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft

This material has a dull luster and a conchoidal fracture.

From The Economic Aspect of Geology by C. K. (Charles Kenneth) Leith

This one can see by the traces of conchoidal fracture which they all show.

From Anahuac : or, Mexico and the Mexicans, Ancient and Modern by Edward Burnett Tylor

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023