hypersthene

American  

[hahy-pers-theen] / ˈhaɪ pərsˌθin /

noun

Mineralogy.

1. a dark iron magnesium silicate, an orthorhombic pyroxene containing more than 14 percent ferrous oxide.

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hypersthene British  

/ ˌhaɪpəˈsθɛnɪk, ˈhaɪpəˌsθiːn /

noun

1. a green, brown, or black pyroxene mineral consisting of magnesium iron silicate in orthorhombic crystalline form. Formula: (Mg,Fe) 2 Si 2 O 6

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Other Word Forms

• hypersthenic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of hypersthene

1800–10; hyper- + Greek sthénos strength, might; replacing hyperstene < French hyperstène

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hypersthene

The cleavage surfaces therefore exhibit a metallic sheen or "schiller," which is even more pronounced in hypersthene than in bronzite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" by Various

Green augite and hypersthene form a considerable part of these rocks, they may contain also biotite, hornblende and quartz.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 3 "Gordon, Lord George" to "Grasses" by Various

These diabases, as they will be called generically, are usually composed of plagioclase feldspar, and diallage or augite; additional and rarer minerals are quartz, olivine, hypersthene, magnetite, ilmenite, and hornblende.

From History and Comprehensive Description of Loudoun County, Virginia by James William Head

Its prevalence is due to the unstable composition of the original minerals of the rock, such as olivine, hypersthene, and pyroxene.

From History and Comprehensive Description of Loudoun County, Virginia by James William Head

An eruptive rock allied to trachyte, consisting essentially of a triclinic feldspar, with pyroxene, hornblende, or hypersthene.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Noah Webster