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howardite

howardite

9.9
A stony meteorite made of mixed rock pieces from asteroid 4 Vesta
  • noun
  • /ˈhaʊərˌdaɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : howardita
  • Researchers studied the howardite to understand the history of asteroid collisions.

Examples

  • The howardite was discovered in the early 20th century.

  • The geologist was excited to discover a rare howardite in the desert.

  • A collection of howardites is displayed at the natural history museum.

  • Scientists study howardites to learn about asteroid compositions.

  • The scientist identified the unusual rock as a howardite, which contained fragments from different meteorites.

  • During the expedition, they discovered a rare howardite that offered insights into the formation of the asteroid belt.

  • Researchers analyzed the howardite to understand its origins and the types of rocks it was composed of.

Synonyms

meteorite
vshowardite
  • Specialized
62 6.7

A piece of rock or metal from space that falls to Earth

is a mixed rock fragment composite rather than a single surviving object
meteorolite
vshowardite
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A rock or metal piece from space that falls to Earth

is a fragmented mix often from asteroid crust instead of a simple fallen object
achondrite
vshowardite
  • Specialized
9.9

A stony meteorite without small round grains that formed when its asteroid or planet melted

is a mixed collection of rock fragments often from a single asteroid
aerolite
vshowardite
  • Archaic
9.9

A stone from space that fell to Earth and is made mostly of rock minerals

is a fragmentary mix of various rocks rather than mainly silicate

Surface Forms

howardite singular
howardites plural

Morphology

howardite = Howard (semi-transparent) = howard + ite

The suffix '-ite' marks a mineral or rock named after a person, which signals a class of material but requires domain knowledge to recognize.

Etymology

Howardite is named after a person or specimen called Howard, and the ending -ite means 'rock' or 'mineral', just like in meteorite. So a howardite is a stony 'rock' from space, often pieces from the asteroid Vesta, which is why scientists use that name.