cordierite

[ kawr-dee-uh-rahyt ]

noun

1. a strongly dichroic blue mineral consisting of a silicate of magnesium, aluminum, and iron: common in metamorphic rocks.

cordierite

/ ˈkɔːdɪəˌraɪt /

noun

1. a grey or violet-blue dichroic mineral that consists of magnesium aluminium iron silicate in orthorhombic crystalline form and is found in metamorphic rocks. Formula: (Mg,Fe) 2 AL 4 Si 5 O 18 .nH 2 O Also calleddichroiteiolite

cordierite

/ kôr′dē-ə-rīt′ /

1. A light-blue to dark-blue or gray orthorhombic mineral. Cordierite is a silicate of magnesium, aluminum, and sometimes iron, and is found in granites and in metamorphic rocks that form under relatively low-pressure conditions. Chemical formula: (Mg,Fe) 2 Al 4 Si 5 O 18 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of cordierite¹

1805–15; named after Pierre L. A. Cordier (1777–1861), French geologist; -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cordierite¹

C19: named after Pierre L. A. Cordier (1777–1861), French geologist who described it