hercynite

[ hur-suh-nahyt ]

noun

1. a black oxide mineral, FeAl 2 O 4 , of the spinel group.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hercynite¹

< German Hercynit (1839), equivalent to Latin Hercyn ( ia silva ) the Hercynian Forest (referring to the Erz Mountains and other wooded ranges N of the Danube) + German -it -ite ¹

Example Sentences

Some of the alumina and iron oxide may occasionally be chemically combined, so as to form an iron spinel, or hercynite.

From Project Gutenberg