gabbro

noun

gab·​bro ˈga-(ˌ)brō 

plural gabbros

: a granular igneous rock composed essentially of calcic plagioclase, a ferromagnesian mineral, and accessory minerals

gabbroic

ga-ˈbrō-ik 

adjective

Examples of gabbro in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To avoid this, the team investigated calcium-rich silicate rocks such as basalt and gabbro. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026

Gravestones can be made from plutonic rocks (after Pluto, the earlier name for Hades), like gabbro and granite; metamorphic rocks, like slate and marble; and sedimentary rocks, like sandstone and limestone. — David Bressan, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

Since 2005, the Savage Stone Quarry has mined a mineral called Baltimore gabbro, which is used for road beds, riprap and airport runways, by blasting apart chunks of rock in a large open pit, situated between Interstate 95 and Route 1. — Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2024

Not getting a sample of this gabbro was frustrating, but scientists are already extracting valuable lessons from the momentary failure. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2021

Basalt and gabbro rocks, for example, have tiny defects in their crystals that could release electrical charges into the air. — Christina Nunez, National Geographic, 16 Apr. 2019

Sometimes, strange reactions occur, like generating a gabbro after throwing olivine crystals into the molten basalt. — Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 26 Sep. 2013

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian (Tuscan), perhaps going back to Vulgar Latin *gabrum, altered from Latin glabr-, glaber "hairless, smooth" — more at glad entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1776, in the meaning defined above