anorthosite

noun

an·​or·​tho·​site ə-ˈnȯr-thə-ˌsīt How to pronounce anorthosite (audio)
: a granular plutonic igneous rock composed almost exclusively of a soda-lime feldspar (such as labradorite)
anorthositic adjective

Examples of anorthosite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The discovery of anorthosite — an ancient type of rock formed from cooling molten lava — in the lunar highlands suggested that, early in its history, the Moon had vast magma oceans. Anna Nordseth, Discover Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024 Off Planet’s recipes combine several rocks, including anorthosite and basalt. Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2024 The light-colored highlands are composed of anorthosite, an igneous rock believed to be the remains of the primordial crust of the Moon, and are dated to 4.5 to 3.9 billion years. David Bressan, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2021 At the moment, only two mines in Greenland are active, one producing rubies and the other anorthosite, used in paints, plastic coatings and special varieties of glass. New York Times, 1 Oct. 2021 Astronauts on Apollo 15 collected a 4 x 2-inch chunk of crystal anorthosite over 4 billion years old. Michael O’Donnell, WSJ, 2 July 2021 The chunks of anorthosite weren’t deposited there by nature — they were trucked in from the mountains around Pasadena. Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2019

Word History

Etymology

French anorthose, a feldspar, from a- + Greek orthos — more at orth-

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of anorthosite was in 1863

Dictionary Entries Near anorthosite

Cite this Entry

“Anorthosite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anorthosite. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on anorthosite

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!