ankerites
|an-ker-ites|
/ˈæŋkəraɪts/
(ankerite)
iron-bearing carbonate mineral
Etymology
'ankerite' originates from a personal name 'Anker' (a surname, used in European languages), combined with the mineral-forming suffix '-ite' from Greek '-ites' used to form names of minerals.
'ankerite' was coined in modern mineralogical nomenclature in the 19th century as a name honoring the person (surname 'Anker') and adopting the common '-ite' suffix; it entered scientific English usage with that form and has remained unchanged.
Initially it referred specifically to the mineral named after the person 'Anker'; over time the term has retained that specific mineralogical meaning and is still used for the same mineral species.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'ankerite': a carbonate mineral, chemically similar to dolomite, containing calcium, magnesium, iron (and often manganese); typically written in formulas as Ca(Fe,Mg,Mn)(CO3)2.
The geologist identified several ankerites in the drill core.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/14 07:06