rhyolite

American  

[rahy-uh-lahyt] / ˈraɪ əˌlaɪt /

noun

1. a fine-grained igneous rock rich in silica: the volcanic equivalent of granite.

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rhyolite British  

/ ˈraɪəˌlaɪt, ˌraɪəˈlɪtɪk /

noun

1. a fine-grained igneous rock consisting of quartz, feldspars, and mica or amphibole. It is the volcanic equivalent of granite

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rhyolite Scientific  

/ rī′ə-līt′ /

1. A usually light-colored, fine-grained extrusive igneous rock that is compositionally similar to granite. It often includes flow lines formed during the extrusion.

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Other Word Forms

• rhyolitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of rhyolite

1865–70; rhyo- (irregular < Greek rhýax stream of lava) + -lite

Example Sentences

The rest spilled across this ancient seabed and formed a fine-grained rhyolite.

From Washington Post

Watching these subtle changes could also help with predicting future rhyolite eruptions.

From Science Magazine

Here's how you get garnets grown in rhyolite:

From Scientific American

We conclude that the composition of calcalkaline rhyolites is decisive in determining the mobilization and eruption dynamics of Earth’s largest volcanic systems, resulting in a better understanding of how the melt structure controls volcanic processes.

From Nature

In Savennières, the vineyards are largely schist, sandstone and rhyolite, a volcanic rock.

From New York Times