gneiss
[ nahys ]
/ naɪs /
Save This Word!
noun
a metamorphic rock, generally made up of bands that differ in color and composition, some bands being rich in feldspar and quartz, others rich in hornblende or mica.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
Question 1 of 7
Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
Origin of gneiss
Borrowed into English from German around 1750–60
OTHER WORDS FROM gneiss
gneissic, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH gneiss
gneiss , niceWords nearby gneiss
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for gneiss
British Dictionary definitions for gneiss
gneiss
/ (naɪs) /
noun
any coarse-grained metamorphic rock that is banded and foliated: represents the last stage in the metamorphism of rocks before melting
Derived forms of gneiss
gneissic, gneissoid or gneissose, adjectiveWord Origin for gneiss
C18: from German Gneis, probably from Middle High German ganeist spark; related to Old Norse gneista to give off sparks
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
Scientific definitions for gneiss
gneiss
[ nīs ]
A highly foliated, coarse-grained metamorphic rock consisting of light-colored layers, usually of quartz and feldspar, alternating with dark-colored layers of other minerals, usually hornblende and biotite. Individual grains are often visible between layers. Gneiss forms as the result of the regional metamorphism of igneous, sedimentary, or other metamorphic rocks.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.