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pyrites

American  
[pahy-rahy-teez, puh-, pahy-rahyts] / paɪˈraɪ tiz, pə-, ˈpaɪ raɪts /

noun

Mineralogy.

plural

pyrites
  1. pyrite.

  2. marcasite.

  3. any of various other metallic sulfides, as of copper or tin.


pyrites British  
/ paɪˈraɪtiːz, ˈpaɪraɪts /

noun

  1. another name for pyrite

  2. any of a number of other disulphides of metals, esp of copper and tin

"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

Etymology

Origin of pyrites

1545–55; < Latin pyrītes (plural); pyrite

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.

Sulphur from pyrites deposits was largely ignored, since brimstone is cheaper and easier to use.

From Time Magazine Archive

She exports timber, pulp, cellulose; iron ore, pyrites, copper, nickel, molybdenum; fish, whale oil�products which Germany can use.

From Time Magazine Archive

They made a small amount of pyrites containing radioactive sulphur and mixed it with a coke-oven charge of coal.

From Time Magazine Archive

There, close to the boundary of the province of Manila and district of Moron, I found a face of disintegrated quartz glittering with large crystals of iron pyrites.

From The Inhabitants of the Philippines by Sawyer, Frederic H.

A variety of shale or clay slate, containing iron pyrites, the decomposition of which leads to the formation of alum, which often effloresces on the rock.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Webster, Noah