taaffeite

noun

taaffe·​ite

ˈtäˌfīt

plural -s

: a rare mineral BeMgAl₄O₁₆ consisting of oxide of beryllium, magnesium, and aluminum and resembling mauve-colored spinel

Word History

Etymology

Count Edward Charles Richard Taaffe, born 1898 Irish gemmologist born in Bohemia who first found it as a faceted gem + English -ite

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