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obsidian
(əb sid′ē ən)
noun
a hard, usually dark-colored or black volcanic glass with conchoidal fracture, often used as a gem
Origin: ModL obsidianus < L Obsidianus (lapis), a faulty reading in Pliny (altered by assoc. with L obsidium, a siege < obsidere: see obsess) for Obsianus (lapis), stone of Obsius, finder of a similar stone in Ethiopia
See obsidian in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
A usually black or banded, hard volcanic glass that displays shiny, curved surfaces when fractured and is formed by rapid cooling of lava.
Origin:
Origin: Latin obsidiānus
Origin: , misreading of obsiānus (lapis), Obsian (stone), obsidian
Origin: , after Obsius, a Roman who supposedly discovered it or a similar mineral
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