ophite

[ of-ahyt, oh-fahyt ]

nounPetrology.
  1. a diabase in which elongate crystals of plagioclase are embedded in pyroxene.

Origin of ophite

1
1350–1400; Middle English ophites<Latin ophītēs serpentine stone <Greek ophī́tēs (líthos) serpentine (stone), equivalent to óph(is) serpent + -ī́tēs-ite1

Other words from ophite

  • o·phit·ic [oh-fit-ik], /oʊˈfɪt ɪk/, adjective

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How to use ophite in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ophite

ophite

/ (ˈəʊfaɪt) /


noun
  1. any of several greenish mottled rocks with ophitic texture, such as dolerite and diabase

Origin of ophite

1
C17: from Latin ophītēs, from Greek, from ophis snake: because the mottled appearance resembles the markings of a snake

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