Advertisement

Advertisement

aphanite

[ af-uh-nahyt ]

noun

, Petrography.
  1. a fine-grained igneous rock having such compact texture that the constituent minerals cannot be detected with the naked eye.

aphanite

/ ˈæfəˌnaɪt /

noun

  1. any fine-grained rock, such as a basalt, containing minerals that cannot be distinguished with the naked eye

Discover More

Other Words From

  • aph·a·nit·ic [af-, uh, -, nit, -ik], adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of aphanite1

1860–65; < Greek aphan ( ḗs ) unseen, hidden, invisible ( a- a- 6 + phanēs, adj. derivative of phaínein to bring to light, disclose) + -ite 1

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of aphanite1

C19: from Greek aphanēs invisible

Advertisement

Word of the Day

petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

aphakiaaphanitic

Browse

  • #
  • aa
  • bb
  • cc
  • dd
  • ee
  • ff
  • gg
  • hh
  • ii
  • jj
  • kk
  • ll
  • mm
  • nn
  • oo
  • pp
  • qq
  • rr
  • ss
  • tt
  • uu
  • vv
  • ww
  • xx
  • yy
  • zz