anorthite

1 9.9

A hard mineral made mostly of calcium and aluminum silicate found in igneous rocks

noun
/əˈnɔrˌθaɪt/

Specialized

: anortita

Scientists have discovered new deposits of anorthite in the region.

Examples

Anorthite is an important component in the formation of some igneous rocks.
Many lunar rocks contain significant amounts of anorthite, giving them a light color.
The geologist identified a crystal of anorthite embedded in the basalt sample.
The rock sample contained a significant amount of anorthite.
Anorthite is an essential mineral in the study of lunar geology; geologists frequently analyze anorthite to understand the Moon's composition.
Geologists often find anorthite in ancient volcanic rocks, which helps them determine the geological history of those formations.
Samples of anorthite can reveal valuable information about the formation of igneous rocks and their mineral content.

Synonyms

feldspar

vsanorthite

Specialized

2 9.0

A hard mineral found in many rocks like granite

is a much narrower, calcium-dominant mineral type found in igneous rocks

plagioclase

vsanorthite

Specialized

1 9.9

A common mineral found in rocks like granite and basalt

is a specific calcium-rich member of that group, rarer in occurrence

Surface Forms

anorthite singular

anorthites plural

Morphology

anorthite = anorth + ite

The word is built from a specialized combining form 'anorth-' plus the mineral suffix '-ite'; the root is not a standalone English word and the meaning is technical, so learners cannot derive the sense from familiar English morphemes.

Etymology

Anorthite breaks into an- 'not', orth- 'straight', and -ite 'mineral'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of a mineral that looked 'not straight' to early scientists, and today anorthite is the calcium-rich plagioclase feldspar found in many igneous and lunar rocks.