kyanite

American  

[kahy-uh-nahyt] / ˈkaɪ əˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a mineral, aluminum silicate, Al 2 SiO 5 , occurring in blue or greenish bladed triclinic crystals, used as a refractory.

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kyanite British  

/ ˈkaɪəˌnaɪt, ˌkaɪəˈnɪtɪk /

noun

1. a grey, green, or blue mineral consisting of aluminium silicate in triclinic crystalline form. It occurs in metamorphic rocks and is used as a refractory. Formula AL 2 SiO 5

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kyanite Scientific  

/ kī′ə-nīt′ /

1. A bluish-green to colorless triclinic mineral. Kyanite occurs as long, thin, blade-shaped crystals in metamorphic rocks. It is unique among minerals in having two grades of hardness, one along its length, and one along its width. It is a polymorph of andalusite and sillimanite, but can form at lower temperatures than either of these. Chemical formula: Al ₂ SiO ₅ .

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Other Word Forms

• kyanitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of kyanite

1785–95; irregular < Greek kýan ( os ) cyan + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

She proceeded to tell me that the very crystal I was missing — the blue kyanite — indicated that I had psychic gifts.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2017

Inside was a dried sage bundle and my “crystal prescription”: The blue kyanite, desert diamond, amethyst, pink Botswana agate and crystal quartz — which is apparently the black skinny jean of the crystal community.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2017

She seemed certain that she knew what was missing in my life: blue kyanite.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2017

In addition to olivine, other common neosilicate minerals include garnet, topaz, kyanite, and zircon.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

In these biotite hornfelses the minerals, which consist of aluminium silicates, are commonly found; they are usually andalusite and 711 sillimanite, but kyanite appears also in hornfelses, especially in those which have a schistose character.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 6 "Home, Daniel" to "Hortensius, Quintus" by Various