diorite
/ˈdaɪ.əˌɹaɪt/ noun
Forms diorites
- noun (geology) A grey intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of plagioclase feldspar, biotite, hornblende and/or pyroxene.
Etymology
invented by mineralogist Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847), derived from Ancient Greek διορίζω (diorízō, “distinguish”), from δι- plus ὁρίζω (horízō, “to limit”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun An igneous, crystalline in structure, consisting essentially of a triclinic feldspar and hornblende. It includes part of what was called greenstone.
Etymology [Cf. F. diorite. See Diorism.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “diorite”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details