saponite

[ sap-uh-nahyt ]

noun

1. a clay mineral, hydrous magnesium aluminum silicate, belonging to the montmorillonite group: found as a soft filling in rock cavities.

saponite

/ ˈsæpəˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a clay mineral consisting of hydrated magnesium aluminium silicate and occurring in metamorphic rocks such as serpentine

Word History and Origins

Origin of saponite¹

1840–50; < Swedish saponit < Latin sāpōn- (stem of sāpō ) soap + Swedish -it -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of saponite¹

C19: from Swedish saponit (a rendering of German Seifenstein soapstone), from Latin sāpō soap

Example Sentences

It is built of blue-grey saponite, a local stone easy to work, varied with marble from the island of Almenningen.

From Project Gutenberg