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eclogite

eclogite

1 9.9
A dense hard rock with green and red minerals that forms deep underground under high pressure
  • noun
  • /ˈɛkləˌdʒaɪt/
  • Specialized
: eclogita
  • Geologists study eclogite to understand the metamorphic processes that occur at great depths.

Examples

  • Eclogite is often found deep within the Earth's crust, where it forms under high pressure conditions.

  • Oxides of silicon, aluminum, and magnesium (eclogites and peridotites in perovskite form)... 3486? 6350 kilometers.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The unique composition of eclogite, with its green pyroxene and red garnet, makes it a subject of interest in petrology.

Surface Forms

eclogite singular
eclogites plural

Morphology

eclogite = eclog + ite

The term is a specialised mineral name built from a non-productive root plus the mineral-forming suffix '-ite', so learners cannot derive its meaning from familiar English components.

Etymology

Eclogite comes from the Greek word eclogē meaning 'selection' or 'a chosen thing'. Geologists gave this name because these bright, unusual rocks were seen as a special, 'selected' kind found deep in the Earth, so 'selection' helps you remember that eclogite is a rare, easily recognized rock.