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Glite Dictionary
fulgurite

fulgurite

1 9.9
A glass tube that forms when lightning melts sand or soil
  • noun
  • /ˈfʌlɡəˌraɪt/
  • Specialized
: fulgurita
  • A fulgurite forms when lightning strikes the sand, creating a glassy tube-like structure.

Examples

  • The museum displayed a rare fulgurite that had formed after a powerful thunderstorm.

  • Walking along the beach, she discovered a small fulgurite hidden among the sand dunes.

  • Scientists studied the structure of the fulgurite to learn more about the effects of lightning on minerals.

  • The fulgurite was found near the beach.

  • Have you ever seen a fulgurite before?

  • When exploring the beach, I found a unique fulgurite formed by a recent storm.

  • The scientist explained how fulgurites are created during intense lightning strikes on sandy soil.

Synonyms

lechatelierite
vsfulgurite
  • Specialized
9.9

A natural clear glass made mostly of sand when lightning or meteors melt it

is a tube-shaped result specifically made when lightning fuses sand or soil

Surface Forms

fulgurite singular
fulgurites plural

Morphology

fulgurite = fulgur + ite

The element 'fulgur' is a Latin combining form meaning 'lightning' and is not a familiar standalone English word to learners, while the suffix '-ite' denotes a mineral/rock; the historical composition is correct but not derivable by an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Fulgurite comes from the Latin fulgur meaning 'lightning' and the ending -ite meaning 'stone', as in other mineral names like graphite. So a fulgurite is a 'lightning stone', a glass tube formed when lightning melts and fuses sand or soil.