vesuvianite

[vuh-soo-vee-uh-nahyt]

noun

a mineral, chiefly a hydrous silicate of calcium and aluminum, commonly in tetragonal crystals and usually of a brown to green color; idocrase.

Origin of vesuvianite

First recorded in 1885–90; Vesuvian + -ite¹

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British Dictionary definitions for vesuvianite

vesuvianite

noun

a green, brown, or yellow mineral consisting of a hydrated silicate of calcium, magnesium, iron, and aluminium: it occurs as tetragonal crystals in limestones and is used as a gemstone. Formula: Ca 10 (Mg,Fe) 2 Al 4 Si 9 O 34 (OH) 4Also called: idocrase, vesuvian

Word Origin for vesuvianite

C19: first found in the lava of Vesuvius

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