syenite
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of syenite
First recorded in 1790–1800; from Latin syēnītēs (lapis) “(stone) of Syene” (the ancient name of Aswan, an Egyptian city on the Nile), from Greek syēnī́tēs (líthos); see -ite 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rocks labeled as ‘granite’ in laymen applications can be several other rocks, including syenite, tonalite, and monzonite.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017
Most of these tracks end behind large boulders of dolostone or syenite, some however start and end without an apparent object nearby.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 22, 2013
They are sometimes subdivided into granite gneiss, diorite gneiss, syenite gneiss and so on.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various
Red Pike, in Cumberland, overlooking Buttermere, is a syenite hill, and commands a glorious view, especially strong in lakes, but there is next to no climbing to be had on it.
From Climbing in The British Isles. Vol. 1 - England by Smith, W. P. Haskett
From this it arose that syenite was regarded as a variety of granite in which the mica is replaced by hornblende, and this has generally been the British view of the question.
From Volcanoes: Past and Present by Hull, Edward
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
