cristobalite

[kri-stoh-buh-lahyt]

noun Mineralogy.

a polymorph of quartz occurring in volcanic rock in the form of colorless, translucent crystals.

Origin of cristobalite

1885–90; named after San Cristóbal, a hill near Pachuca de Soto, Mexico; see -ite¹

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British Dictionary definitions for cristobalite

cristobalite

noun

a white microcrystalline mineral consisting of silica and occurring in volcanic rocks. Formula: SiO 2

Word Origin for cristobalite

C19: from German, named after Cerro San Cristóbal, Mexico, where it was discovered

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