diabase
Americannoun
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a fine-grained gabbro occurring as minor intrusions.
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British. a dark igneous rock consisting essentially of augite and feldspar; an altered dolerite.
noun
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an altered dolerite
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another name for dolerite
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A dark-gray to black, medium-grained igneous rock consisting mainly of labradorite and pyroxene. Diabase is compositionally similar to andesite, but has coarser grains. It is commonly found in sills and dikes.
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Also called dolerite
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of diabase
1810–20; < French, equivalent to dia- (error for di- two) + base base 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.
The sandstone and trap are of the Triassic Period, and the trap of this vicinity is more particularly classified as diabase.
From Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXVIII, Sept. 1910 The Bergen Hill Tunnels. Paper No. 1154 by F. Lavis
At St Andreasberg in the Harz it occurs both in diabase and in the veins of silver ore.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 9 "Dagupan" to "David" by Various
These rocks are metamorphic, and though having a mineral constitution somewhat similar to that of diorite, they have been produced really from rocks of more basic character, such as diabase, dolerite and gabbro.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 6 "English Language" to "Epsom Salts" by Various
These are caused either by old intrusions of diabase and gabbro which have undergone modifications, or by later ones of dolerite.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 6 "Groups, Theory of" to "Gwyniad" by Various
When these rocks become fine-grained they pass gradually into ophitic diabase and dolerite; only very rarely does olivine enclose 378 felspar in this way.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 4 "G" to "Gaskell, Elizabeth" by Various
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