trachyte
1
9.9
A light-colored rock made by volcanoes often used for building or decoration
- noun
- /ˈtrækiˌtaɪt/
- Specialized
:
tracita
- When hiking in volcanic regions, you might encounter trachyte stones scattered along the trails.
Examples
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The construction team used trachyte as a decorative element in the new building's facade.
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Many historic structures feature trachyte due to its durability and attractive surface.
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Soda trachytes extruded in a highly viscous state, building the steep-sided mametons we see in Hanging Rock.
Surface Forms
Morphology
trachyte = trachy (opaque) = trachy + ite
The combining form 'trachy' is not a standalone English word familiar to learners, so the meaning cannot be reliably inferred from the parts despite the mineral-forming suffix '-ite'.
Etymology
The word trachyte comes from the Greek word trachys, which means 'rough', so it names a pale volcanic rock that has a rough texture and was often used for building or decoration.