rhyolite
|rhy-o-lite|
🇺🇸
/ˈraɪəˌlaɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˈraɪəlaɪt/
silica-rich volcanic rock
Etymology
'rhyolite' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'rhyax' (ῥυάξ), where 'rhyax' meant 'stream' or 'torrent', combined with 'lithos' meaning 'stone'.
'rhyax' + 'lithos' passed into modern scientific usage via German 'Rhyolith' and ultimately became the English word 'rhyolite'.
Initially the element of the name suggested 'stream-stone' (referencing flow structure), but over time it evolved into the technical term for a silica-rich volcanic rock now called 'rhyolite'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a light-colored, silica-rich (felsic) volcanic igneous rock, typically fine-grained to glassy in texture and often composed largely of quartz and feldspar.
The outcrop consisted mostly of rhyolite, its pale, glassy texture visible where erosion had exposed the rock.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/25 02:37