hyalite

American

[hahy-uh-lahyt] / ˈhaɪ əˌlaɪt /

noun

a colorless variety of opal, sometimes transparent like glass, and sometimes whitish and translucent.

hyalite British

/ ˈhaɪəˌlaɪt /

noun

a clear and colourless variety of opal in globular form

"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 hyalite

First recorded in 1785–95; hyal- + -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.

See Examples For:

hyalite

In some half-decayed specimens, I found small, globular aggregations of yellow hyalite, resembling gum-arabic, which no doubt had been deposited by the steam.

From Volcanic Islands by Charles Darwin

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

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