arenites
|a-ren-ites|
/ˈær.ə.naɪts/
(arenite)
sandstone with little matrix
Etymology
'arenites' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'arena', where 'arena' meant 'sand', combined with the suffix '-ite' used to form names of rocks and minerals.
'arenites' was formed in modern scientific/Latin usage from Latin 'arena' + the suffix '-ite' (from Greek '-ites' via Latin), and was adopted into English geological terminology in the 19th century as 'arenite' (plural 'arenites').
Initially related to the Latin word for 'sand', the term evolved into a technical geological term meaning 'rock composed of sand-sized grains' (plural: 'arenites').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'arenite': a type of sandstone composed largely of sand-sized grains with little matrix or cement; a sedimentary rock dominated by sand-sized particles.
The coastal cliffs revealed several distinct arenites separated by thin shale layers.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/10 22:34