nepheline

American  

[nef-uh-lin] / ˈnɛf ə lɪn /

Also nephelite

noun

1. a feldspathoid mineral, essentially sodium aluminum silicate, NaAlSiO 4 , occurring in alkali-rich volcanic rocks.

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nepheline British  

/ ˈnɛfɪlɪn, ˈnɛfɪˌlaɪt, -ˌliːn /

noun

1. a whitish mineral consisting of sodium potassium aluminium silicate in hexagonal crystalline form: used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics. Formula: (Na,K)(AlSi) 2 O 4

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Etymology

Origin of nepheline

1805–15; < French néphéline, equivalent to néphél- (< Greek nephélē cloud) + -ine -ine ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nepheline

These last consist of an intermixture of nepheline or sodalite and alkali-felspar.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 3 "Borgia, Lucrezia" to "Bradford, John" by Various

The facial development of crystals of nepheline give no indication of this type of symmetry, and the mineral has been referred to this class solely on the evidence afforded by the etched figures.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7 "Crocoite" to "Cuba" by Various

They are chiefly leucite and nepheline rocks, such as leucitite, leucitophyre and nephelinite, but basalt and trachyte also occur.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 2 "Ehud" to "Electroscope" by Various

Mesotype and nepheline constitute, according to Girard, an important part in the composition and internal texture of basalt.

From COSMOS: A Sketch of the Physical Description of the Universe, Vol. 1 by Alexander von Humboldt

If nepheline entirely replaces felspar, the rock is known as nepheline-basalt; if the replacement is only partial the term nepheline-basanite is used.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 3 "Banks" to "Bassoon" by Various