autunite

noun

au·​tun·​ite ō-ˈtə-ˌnīt How to pronounce autunite (audio) ˈȯ-tə- How to pronounce autunite (audio)
: a radioactive usually lemon-yellow calcium phosphate mineral that occurs in tabular crystals and in scales and that is an ore of uranium

Word History

Etymology

Autun (town in Saône-et-Loire, France, near which the mineral was found) + -ite entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of autunite was circa 1852

Dictionary Entries Near autunite

Cite this Entry

“Autunite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autunite. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on autunite

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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