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Glite Dictionary
🪨 A mineral rock 🥜 Almond-shaped
amygdaloid

amygdaloid

9.9
A volcanic rock that has rounded holes filled with minerals
  • noun
  • /əˈmɪɡdəˌlɔɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : amigdaloide
  • The geologist examined a piece of amygdaloid rock that contained beautiful quartz crystals in its cavities.

Examples

  • We learned that amygdaloid rocks often form from volcanic eruptions and can reveal valuable geological history.

  • During the field trip, the students discovered a rare amygdaloid formation filled with colorful minerals.

  • In the present study, two amygdaloid nuclei showed increases in Fos-ir in alcohol animals: the medial and the central nuclei.

    Academic text (2016)

Compounds

amygdaloid nucleus
  • Specialized
9.9

A small part of the brain shaped like an almond that helps control feelings and motivation

Surface Forms

amygdaloid singular
amygdaloids plural

Morphology

amygdaloid = amygdala (semi-transparent) = amygdal + oid

Formed from the combining form 'amygdal-' (almond) plus the suffix '-oid' meaning 'resembling'; the geological usage is technical, so the relation to 'almond-shaped' is somewhat specialized.

Etymology

Amygdaloid for this volcanic rock comes from an old Greek word amygdalē meaning 'almond' and the ending -oid meaning 'like'. Geologists call a rock amygdaloid because it has many rounded holes that look like little almonds and later fill with mineral crystals, so the name links the almond shape to the rock's appearance.