rhyolite

[rahy-uh-lahyt]

noun

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

Origin of rhyolite

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

Related formsrhy·o·lit·ic

[rahy-uh-lit-ik] /ˌraɪ əˈlɪt ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for rhyolitic

Historical Examples of rhyolitic

Then came the period of rhyolitic flows, the centers of volcanic activity being as before Mts.
The Yellowstone National Park
Hiram Martin Chittenden

British Dictionary definitions for rhyolitic

rhyolite

noun

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

Derived Formsrhyolitic (ˌraɪəˈlɪtɪk), adjective

Word Origin for rhyolite

C19: rhyo- from Greek rhuax a stream of lava + 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

rhyolitic in Science

rhyolite

[rī′ə-līt′]

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