phonolite

[ fohn-l-ahyt ]

/ ˈfoʊn lˌaɪt /

Save This Word!

noun

a fine-grained volcanic rock composed chiefly of alkali feldspar and nepheline, some varieties of which split into pieces that ring on being struck.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of phonolite

1820–30; <French <German Phonolith.See phono-, -lite

OTHER WORDS FROM phonolite

pho·no·lit·ic

[fohn-l-it-ik], /ˌfoʊn lˈɪt ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby phonolite

phonogram, phonograph, phonographic, phonography, phonol., phonolite, phonological, phonological rule, phonologist, phonology, phonometer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use phonolite in a sentence

(c.) Phonolite (Clinkstone) is a trachytic rock, composed essentially of sanidine, nepheline, and augite or hornblende.
Volcanoes: Past and Present|Edward Hull
The rock is phonolite, and is divided into irregular columns.
A Naturalist's Voyage Round the World|Charles Darwin
The Wolf Rock is composed of phonolite, and it occurs largely in Auvergne.
Volcanoes: Past and Present|Edward Hull
At last we draw ourselves up a huge wedge of phonolite and find ourselves at the summit of the first peak.
The Columbia River|William Denison Lyman

British Dictionary definitions for phonolite

phonolite

/ (ˈfəʊnəˌlaɪt) /

noun

a fine-grained volcanic igneous rock consisting of alkaline feldspars and nepheline

Derived forms of phonolite

phonolitic (ˌfəʊnəˈlɪtɪk), adjective

Word Origin for phonolite

C19: via French from German Phonolith; see phono-, -lite

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012