selenite

[sel-uh-nahyt, si-lee-nahyt]

noun

1. Mineralogy.,  a variety of gypsum, found in transparent crystals and foliated masses.

2. Chemistry.,  a salt of selenious acid.

selenite

/ ˈsɛlɪˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a colourless glassy variety of gypsum

Other Word Forms

• selenitic adjective
• selenitical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of selenite¹

1560–70; < Latin selēnītēs < Greek selēnī́tēs líthos moonstone; Selene, -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of selenite¹

C17: via Latin from Greek selēnitēs lithos moonstone, from selēnē moon; so called because it was believed to wax and wane with the moon

Example Sentences

This pretty kit contains mountain sage, frankincense, myrrh and white copal resin; a Selenite stick; crystals and a palo santo stick for smudging.

From Seattle Times

The 29-year-old, who wore selenite crystal around her neck to “repel bad energy,” was second to last in line.

From Los Angeles Times

When the researchers injected sodium selenite directly into the mice’s brains for 7 days, the number of neural precursor cells in the hippocampus tripled, they report in Cell Metabolism.

From Science Magazine

Other items laid out on it include a labradorite crystal for mind-clearing and enhanced intuition, and a wand made of selenite for its protective quality.

From Washington Post

In one corner, three forearm-size selenite wands were balanced like firewood.

From New York Times