botryoidal
- adjective
- /bəˈtrɔɪədl/
- Specialized
:
botrioidal
- Malachite samples displayed a striking botryoidal texture that fascinated the geologists.
Examples
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The botryoidal structure of the mineral caught everyone's attention.
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Collectors prized the unusual botryoidal shapes found in the cave's deposits.
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The mineral hematite often forms botryoidal masses with a smooth, rounded surface.
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Is this rock botryoidal in shape?
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The mineral exhibited a botryoidal texture, resembling a cluster of grapes.
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When viewed under the microscope, the sample displayed botryoidal formations that were quite intricate.
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The artist chose a botryoidal design for the sculpture, giving it an organic, grape-like appearance.
Synonyms
Shaped like a cluster of small round parts that look like grapes
Having the shape of a bunch of grapes
Like a bunch of small round fruits attached together
How Rounded
Surface Forms
Morphology
botryoidal = botryoid (opaque) = botryo + oid + al
The combining form 'botryo-' (Greek for 'bunch of grapes') and the scientific suffixes '-oid' and '-al' are not familiar to an average B1 learner, so the meaning is not guessable from known everyday words.
Etymology
The word botryoidal comes from the Greek botrys, meaning 'bunch of grapes', and the ending -oid, meaning 'like', as in humanoid 'like a human'. So a botryoidal mineral has a smooth, rounded surface that looks like a cluster of grapes.