goethite

American

[goh-thahyt, gœ-tahyt] / ˈgoʊ θaɪt, ˈgœ taɪt /

noun

a very common mineral, iron hydroxide, HFeO 2 , occurring in crystals, but more commonly in yellow or brown earthy masses: an ore of iron.

goethite British

/ ˈɡəʊθaɪt, ˈɡøːtiːt /

noun

a black, brown, or yellow mineral consisting of hydrated iron oxide in the form of orthorhombic crystals or fibrous masses. Formula: FeO(OH)

"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

Etymology

Origin of goethite

1815–25; named after Goethe; see -ite ¹

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

goethite

They are made entirely of goethite, a fine-grained iron-rich mineral.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 23, 2026

In this case, goethite is a pseudomorph after pyrite, meaning it has taken the form of another mineral.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017

Pyrite cubes are oxidized, becoming new mineral goethite.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017

The great German poet-philosopher, Goethe, could turn up in your collection as goethite.

From Let's Collect Rocks and Shells by Shell Union Oil Corporation

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