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goethite

goethite

9.9
A red, yellow, or brown mineral made of iron and oxygen often found in rust
  • noun
  • /ˈɡeɪəˌtaɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : goetita
  • During their field trip, the students collected goethite, which is known to be a component of rust.

Examples

  • 3rd - Goethite Crystals on Quartz by Barrie Bieler

    Academic text (2004)
  • Goethite is often found in rust and can appear in colors like goethite, yellow, or brown.

  • The geologist analyzed a sample of goethite, noting its distinctive iron oxide composition.

Synonyms

gothite
vsgoethite
  • Specialized
9.9

A red, yellow, or brown mineral that forms part of rust

is broader calling it an iron oxide mineral rather than the oxide-hydroxide

Surface Forms

goethite singular
goethites plural

Morphology

goethite = Goethe (opaque) = goeth + ite

A mineral name formed from a person's name plus the mineral suffix '-ite' is a specialized lexical label and not derivable in meaning from knowing the name alone.

Etymology

The word goethite is named after the German writer and scientist Goethe, and the mineral ending -ite is a common name ending you can think of as 'rock' or 'stone', as in calcite. Goethite is an iron oxide that makes rust red, yellow, or brown, so the name helps you remember it is a mineral often found in rusty objects.