basalt

(bə sôlt; bāsôlt′, bas ôlt′)

noun

  1. a dark, fine-grained, usually extrusive igneous rock that is more basic than andesite, consisting chiefly of plagioclase feldspars and pyroxene: often found in vast sheets, it is the most common extrusive igneous rock
  2. a kind of unglazed, black pottery designed by Josiah Wedgwood

Origin: earlier basaltes < L, a dark Ethiopian marble: term used by Pliny for basanites < Gr basanitēs, species of slate used to test gold < basanos, touchstone, test (ult. < Egypt bḫnw) + -itēs, -ite

Related Forms:

See basalt in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. A hard, dense, dark volcanic rock composed chiefly of plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine, and often having a glassy appearance.
  2. A kind of hard unglazed pottery.

Origin:

Origin: Latin basaltēs

Origin: , alteration of basanītēs, touchstone

Origin: , from Greek basanītēs (lithos)

Origin: , from basanos

Origin: , of Egyptian origin

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Related Forms:

  • ba·salˈtic (-sôlˈtĭk) adjective

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