peacock ore

9.9

A rock with copper and iron that has bright blue and purple colors like peacock feathers

noun
/ˈpiːkɒk ɔːr/

Specialized

: mineral pavo real

The iridescent surface of peacock ore makes it popular in jewelry and mineral displays.

Examples

The miner found a striking piece of peacock ore glittering among the stones.
Collectors prize peacock ore for its brilliant blues and purples.
Look at that stunning peacock ore specimen!
The peacock ore glimmered in the sunlight.
Collectors prize peacock ore for its brilliant blues and purples.
The iridescent surface of peacock ore makes it popular in jewelry and mineral displays.
The miner found a striking piece of peacock ore glittering among the stones.

Synonyms

copper pyrites

vspeacock ore

Specialized

8.6

A yellow shiny mineral that contains copper and iron and people mine it for copper

is notable for iridescent tarnish rather than plain yellow ore appearance

chalcopyrite

vspeacock ore

Specialized

9.9

A yellow mineral that is the main source of copper

is known for its iridescent surface color rather than being the principal ore

bornite

vspeacock ore

Specialized

9.9

A reddish-brown mineral that contains copper and iron and is mined for copper

shows bright iridescent tarnish instead of a plain reddish brown surface

Surface Forms

peacock ore singular

peacock ores plural

Morphology

peacock + ore

The compound is clearly descriptive: 'peacock' conveys the iridescent, feather-like appearance and 'ore' denotes a mineral, so the meaning 'an ore with peacock-like iridescence' is directly inferable from the parts. This noun–noun naming pattern is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Peacock ore is named for its shiny, rainbow-like surface that looks like a peacock's colorful feathers. The word ore means a rock with metal, so the name came to mean 'a colorful rock with metal, often copper'.