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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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

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