trachyte

[ trey-kahyt, trak-ahyt ]

noun

1. a fine-grained volcanic rock consisting essentially of alkali feldspar and one or more subordinate minerals, as hornblende or mica: the extrusive equivalent of syenite.

trachyte

/ ˈtrækɪˌtɔɪd; ˈtræ-; ˈtreɪ-; ˈtreɪkaɪt /

noun

1. a light-coloured fine-grained volcanic rock of rough texture consisting of feldspars with small amounts of pyroxene or amphibole

trachyte

/ trā′kīt′,trăk′īt′ /

1. A light-colored, fine-grained igneous rock consisting primarily of alkali feldspar together with some mafic minerals, especially hornblende. Unlike most igneous rocks, trachyte has little or no quartz. Trachyte is the fine-grained equivalent of syenite.

Derived Forms

• trachytoid, adjective

Other Words From

• tra·chyt·ic [tr, uh, -, kit, -ik], trach·y·toid [trak, -i-toid, trey, -ki-], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of trachyte¹

1815–25; < French < Greek trāchýtēs roughness, equivalent to trāchý ( s ) rough + -tēs noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of trachyte¹

C19: from French, from Greek trakhutēs , from trakhus rough

Example Sentences

Trachyte (trachys, rough) is a pale or dark-gray rock, harsh and rough to the touch, in which felspar is the predominant mineral.

From Project Gutenberg

Or, again, I see no difficulty in a mass of trachyte being exposed by subsequent dislocations and bared or cleaned by rain.

From Project Gutenberg

The volcanic origin of the whole archipelago is proved by the principal rocks being of basalt, trachyte and lava.

From Project Gutenberg

Large areas are overlain with trachyte, basalt, obsidian, tuff and pumice.

From Project Gutenberg

Trachyte has been extruded in a state so viscid that it has formed steepsided domes like that of Sarcoui (Fig. 230).

From Project Gutenberg