apatite
|ap-a-tite|
🇺🇸
/ˈæpəˌtaɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˈæpətaɪt/
deceptive phosphate mineral
Etymology
'apatite' originates from Neo-Latin, specifically the word 'apatites', where the Greek root 'apatēs' meant 'deceit'.
'apatite' changed from the Greek word 'apatēs' to Neo-Latin 'apatites' and entered modern scientific English as 'apatite' in the late 18th century (used in mineralogical literature).
Initially it meant 'a mineral that deceives (by resembling other minerals)', but over time it evolved into the current meaning of 'a group of phosphate minerals and the specific phosphate mineral found in bones and teeth'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of a group of phosphate minerals, typically calcium phosphate minerals, that occur in many types of igneous and sedimentary rocks.
Geologists identified apatite crystals in the basalt sample.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a specific phosphate mineral (notably hydroxyapatite) that is the principal inorganic component of bone and tooth enamel.
Tooth enamel is largely composed of apatite, which gives it hardness.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/15 00:15