staurolite

noun

stau·​ro·​lite ˈstȯr-ə-ˌlīt 

: a mineral consisting of a basic silicate of iron and aluminum in prismatic orthorhombic crystals often twinned so as to resemble a cross

staurolitic

ˌstȯr-ə-ˈli-tik 

adjective

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from Greek staurós "(in plural) upright poles, stakes, palisade," "stake, cross (as instrument of crucifixion)" + French -lite -lite; staurós probably going back to Indo-European *steh₂-u-ro- (whence also Old Icelandic — more at staurr "pale, stake"), derivative from the verb base *steh₂- "stand" — more at stand entry 1

Note: The name was introduced by the French mineralogist Jean-Claude Delamétherie (1743-1817), perhaps first in Manuel du minéralogiste, ou Sciagraphie du règne minéral … par M. Torbern Bergman … nouvelle édition, considérablement augmentée, par J.C. Delamétherie, tome premier (Paris, 1792), pp. 358-59.

First Known Use

circa 1815, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for staurolite

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite