diabase

di·a·base

noun \ˈdī-ə-ˌbās\

Definition of DIABASE

1

archaic : diorite

2

chiefly British : an altered basalt

3

: a fine-grained rock of the composition of gabbro but with an ophitic texture

— di·a·ba·sic \ˌdī-ə-ˈbā-sik\ adjective

Origin of DIABASE

French, probably from Greek diabasis act of crossing over, from diabainein to cross over, from dia- + bainein to go — more at come

First Known Use: circa 1816

Rhymes with DIABASE

about-face, aerospace, anyplace, boniface, bouillabaisse, carapace, catalase, cellulase, commonplace, contrabass, cyberspace, database, diastase, double-space, elastase, everyplace, hydrolase, hydrospace, hyperspace, interface, interlace, interspace, invertase, kilobase, lemures, lowercase, marketplace, oxidase, pillowcase, reductase, Samothrace, single-space, steeplechase, thoroughbass, thoroughbrace, triple-space, uppercase