gneiss Hear it!

gneiss definition

gneiss (nīs)

noun

a coarsegrained, metamorphic rock resembling granite, consisting of alternating layers of different minerals, such as feldspar, quartz, mica, and hornblende, and having a banded appearance

Etymology: Ger gneis < OHG gneisto, a spark, akin to ON gneisti, OE gnast: from the luster of certain of the components

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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