phaneritic
|pha-ne-rit-ic|
/ˌfænəˈrɪtɪk/
visible crystals
Etymology
'phaneritic' originates from New Latin/Modern scientific usage, ultimately from Greek 'phanerós' (φανερός), where 'phaner-' meant 'visible, evident'.
'phaneritic' comes into scientific English via New Latin/Modern scientific coinage based on Greek 'phanerós' + the adjectival suffix '-itic' (via Latin/Neo-Latin formation); the specialized petrological sense developed in 19th-century geology to describe rock textures.
Initially rooted in the general Greek sense 'visible' or 'manifest'; over time it acquired the specialized modern meaning 'having crystals visible to the unaided eye' in petrology.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a rock (especially an igneous rock) that has a phaneritic texture; i.e., with crystals visible to the naked eye.
The hand specimen was identified as a phanerite because its mineral grains were easily seen without magnification.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
of an igneous rock texture in which individual mineral crystals are large enough to be seen with the unaided eye; coarse-grained.
The granite sample had a phaneritic texture, with feldspar and quartz crystals clearly visible.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/04 03:16