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diabase

 - 2 dictionary results

di⋅a⋅base

[dahy-uh-beys]
–noun Petrology.
1. a fine-grained gabbro occurring as minor intrusions.
2. British. a dark igneous rock consisting essentially of augite and feldspar; an altered dolerite.

Origin:
1810–20; < F, equiv. to dia- (error for di- two) + base base 1


di⋅a⋅ba⋅sic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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di·a·base   (dī'ə-bās')   
n.  A dark-gray to black, fine-textured igneous rock composed mainly of feldspar and pyroxene and used for monuments and as crushed stone.

[French, partly from Greek diabasis, a crossing over (from diabainein, to pass through or over; see diabetes) and partly from diabase (dia-, two alteration of di-, from Greek di-; see di-1 + base, basis from Old French; see base1).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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