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Glite Dictionary
paragneiss

paragneiss

9.9
A hard rock made when layers of mud or sand change under great heat and pressure
  • noun
  • /ˈpærəˌnaɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : paragneiss
  • The geologist identified the rock as paragneiss based on its composition and structure.

Examples

  • Thin sections of paragneiss reveal the minerals typical of metamorphosed sedimentary origins.

  • Layers of paragneiss can often be found alongside other metamorphic rocks in mountain regions.

  • The paragneiss in this region is rich in quartz.

  • Many geologists study paragneiss to understand metamorphic processes.

  • The geologist identified the rock as paragneiss based on its composition and structure.

  • Thin sections of paragneiss reveal the minerals typical of metamorphosed sedimentary origins.

  • Layers of paragneiss can often be found alongside other metamorphic rocks in mountain regions.

Synonyms

gneiss
vsparagneiss
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A hard rock formed by heat and pressure with bands of light and dark minerals

is specifically formed from sedimentary rock rather than any original rock type
metasedimentary
vsparagneiss
  • Specialized
9.9

A rock made from mud and sand that changed by heat or pressure deep underground

is a specific banded metamorphic rock formed from sedimentary parent material

Surface Forms

paragneiss singular
paragneisses plural

Morphology

paragneiss = gneiss (opaque) = para + gneiss

Although the word is formally built from para- + gneiss, the geological meaning is specialized and the base word gneiss is not transparent for most learners.

Etymology

Paragneiss comes from the prefix para- meaning 'beside' or 'from', as in parallel, and gneiss, the name of a layered rock that forms under heat and pressure. So, paragneiss is a gneiss that formed when a sedimentary, or layered, rock was changed by heat and pressure.