petalite

American

[pet-l-ahyt] / ˈpɛt lˌaɪt /

noun

a mineral, lithium aluminum silicate, Li(AlSi 4 O 10 ), occurring in colorless or white foliated masses: an important source of lithium.

Etymology

Origin of petalite

From the German word Petalit, dating back to 1800–10. See petal, -ite 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.

It was first identified as a solid in the form of petalite ore on the Swedish island Utö in 1817.

From New York Times • Jun. 25, 2015

Arfvedson, a pupil of Berzelius, detected a new element, which he named lithium, in various minerals—notably petalite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various

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