ataxite
|a-tax-ite|
/əˈtæk.saɪt/
without arrangement; structureless
Etymology
'ataxite' originates from Greek elements, specifically 'a-' and 'taxis', where 'a-' meant 'not' and 'taxis' meant 'arrangement' (the modern term was formed in scientific New Latin/English usage).
'ataxite' was coined in scientific/meteorite classification vocabulary (Modern/Scientific Latin/English) from the Greek elements 'a-' + 'taxis'; it aligns with related terms such as 'ataxia' and entered technical English use in the 19th century.
Initially the Greek-derived sense was 'without arrangement' or 'lacking order'; over time it came to denote specifically a class of iron meteorites that lack the usual crystalline (Widmanstätten) arrangement.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of iron meteorite characterized by a very high nickel content and the absence of a Widmanstätten (crystal) structure; essentially a structureless iron meteorite classification.
The specimen was identified as an ataxite because it showed no Widmanstätten pattern under etching.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/09 20:03