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

Calcalkaline rhyolites produce the largest explosive volcanic eruptions, but these eruptions can switch repeatedly between being effusive and explosive.

From Nature

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

From New York Times