pyroxene

[pahy-rok-seen, puh-, pahy-rok-seen]

noun

1. any of a very common group of minerals of many varieties, silicates of magnesium, iron, calcium, and other elements, occurring as important constituents of many kinds of rocks, especially basic igneous rocks.

pyroxene

/ ˌpaɪrɒkˈsɛnɪk, paɪˈrɒksiːn /

noun

1. any of a group of silicate minerals having the general formula ABSi 2 O 6 , where A is usually calcium, sodium, magnesium, or iron, and B is usually magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese, or aluminium. Pyroxenes occur in basic igneous rocks and some metamorphic rocks, and have colours ranging from white to dark green or black. They may be monoclinic (clinopyroxenes) or orthorhombic (orthopyroxenes) in crystal structure. Examples are augite (the most important pyroxene), diopside, enstatite, hypersthene, and jadeite

pyroxene

1. Any of a series of dark silicate minerals having the general chemical formula ABSi ₂ O ₆, where A is either calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), or iron (Fe), and B is either magnesium, iron, chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), or aluminum (Al). Pyroxenes vary in color from white to dark green or black and are characterized by a rectangular-shaped cross section. They can be either monoclinic or orthorhombic and occur in igneous and metamorphic rocks. The minerals enstatite, diopside, and augite are pyroxenes.

Other Word Forms

• pyroxenic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyroxene¹

1790–1800; < French; pyro-, xeno-; originally supposed to be a foreign substance when found in igneous rocks

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyroxene¹

C19: _pyro- + -xene from Greek xenos foreign, because it was mistakenly thought to have originated elsewhere when found in igneous rocks

Example Sentences

Tarduno and his team used innovative strategies and techniques to examine the strength of the magnetic field by studying magnetism locked in ancient feldspar and pyroxene crystals from the rock anorthosite.

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However, in those cases they had been more complex, magnesium-rich crystals of olivine and pyroxene.

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Measurements from orbit show the material is loaded with pyroxenes, minerals common in volcanic lava.

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Measurements from orbit show the material is loaded with pyroxene, a mineral associated with explosive volcanic events called pyroclastic flows.

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Maaz, which is on top and thus probably younger, has a composition similar to most basaltic lava flows — full of minerals known as pyroxene and plagioclase but with little or no olivine.

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