impactite

1 9.9

A rock formed when a meteorite hits Earth and melts nearby rocks

noun
/ˈɪmpæktˌaɪt/

Specialized

: impactita

An impactite is formed when a meteorite strikes the Earth and alters the existing rocks around it.

Examples

For starters, Russian officials claim these newly revealed diamonds, known as impactite, are twice as hard as normal diamonds, while others value these diamonds for their grain size and abrasive cuts.

Blog text (4)
Scientists study impactite to understand how meteoritic impacts change the Earth's geology.
Impactites can vary in appearance, but they all share a connection to cosmic collisions with our planet.

Surface Forms

impactite singular

impactites plural

Morphology

impactite = impact (semi-transparent) = impact + ite

The word is clearly built from 'impact' + the specialized suffix '-ite' (used for rocks/minerals), but '-ite' is a technical forming element that may not be familiar to average learners.

Etymology

Impactite comes from the common word impact ('to hit') and the ending -ite, which we use for rocks and minerals, as in granite and meteorite. So an impactite is a rock made when something hits the Earth, such as a meteorite.