autunite
|au-tu-nite|
/ˈɔːtjuːnaɪt/
uranium phosphate mineral
Etymology
'autunite' originates from French, specifically the word 'autunite', where the mineral was named after the French town 'Autun' where it was first discovered.
'autunite' was adopted into English from French 'autunite' in the 19th century; the place name 'Autun' itself comes from Latin 'Augustodunum'.
Initially it meant 'a mineral from Autun (the locality)', and over time it evolved into the modern mineral-name meaning 'the hydrated calcium uranyl phosphate mineral known as autunite'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a yellow to greenish-yellow crystalline uranium mineral: hydrated calcium uranyl phosphate (common formula Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2·nH2O), often fluorescent and found in the oxidation zones of uranium deposits.
Autunite forms bright yellow tabular crystals and is often found in the oxidation zones of uranium deposits.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/29 21:11