ophiolite

American

[of-ee-uh-lahyt, oh-fee-] / ˈɒf i əˌlaɪt, ˈoʊ fi- /

noun

Geology.

an assemblage of mafic igneous rocks representing remnants of former oceanic crust.

1840–50; < Greek óphi ( s ) snake + -o- + -lite; cf. ophite

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ophiolite

Pillow lavas, which only form underwater, from an ophiolite in the Apennine Mountains of central Italy.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017

And if you’ve ever wanted to visit an ophiolite, congratulations!

From Scientific American ● Mar. 7, 2012

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