chrysolite
/ˈkɹɪs.əˌlaɪt/ noun
Forms chrysolites
- noun (mineralogy) Originally, any of various green-coloured gems; later specifically peridot.
Etymology
From Middle English crisolite, from Old French crisolite, from Medieval Latin crisolitus, Latin chrȳsolithus, from Ancient Greek χρῡσόλιθος (khrūsólithos), from χρῡσός (khrūsós, “gold”) + λίθος (líthos, “stone”). By surface analysis, chryso- (“pertaining to gold”) + -lite (“pertaining to rocks, minerals”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A mineral, composed of silica, magnesia, and iron, of a yellow to green color. It is common in certain volcanic rocks; --called also olivine and peridot. Sometimes used as a gem. The name was also early used for yellow varieties of tourmaline and topaz.
Etymology [L. chrysolithos, Gr. chrysolithe.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “chrysolite”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details