augite

[ aw-jahyt ]

noun

1. a silicate mineral, chiefly of calcium, magnesium, iron, and aluminum: a dark-green to black variety of monoclinic pyroxene, characteristic of basic rocks.

augite

/ ɔːˈɡɪtɪk; ˈɔːɡaɪt /

noun

1. a black or greenish-black mineral of the pyroxene group, found in igneous rocks. Composition: calcium magnesium iron aluminium silicate. General formula: (Ca,Mg,Fe,Al)(Si,Al) 2 O 6 . Crystal structure: monoclinic

augite

/ ô′jīt′ /

1. A glassy, dark-green to black variety of pyroxene. Chemical formula: (Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe,Al)(Si,Al) 2 O 6 .

Derived Forms

• augitic, adjective

Other Words From

• au·git·ic [aw-, jit, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of augite¹

1780–90; < Latin augītis a kind of precious stone < Greek, equivalent to aug ( ḗ ) sunlight + -ītis, feminine of -ītēs -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of augite¹

C19: from Latin augītēs, from Greek, from augē brightness

Example Sentences

Pertaining to, or like, augite; containing augite as a principal constituent; as, augitic rocks.

From Project Gutenberg

It is now applied to the dark-coloured aluminous members of the monoclinic amphiboles, occupying in this group the same position that augite occupies in the pyroxene group.

From Project Gutenberg

The biotite is brown; the hornblende brown or greenish brown; the augite usually green.

From Project Gutenberg

Many accessory minerals such as tourmaline and zircon have been identified also, while augite, hornblende and other volcanic minerals occur in varying proportion as in all the sediments of the open sea.

From Project Gutenberg

In the weathering of granite the quartz suffers little change; the felspar passes into dull cloudy, soft aggregates of kaolin, muscovite and secondary quartz, while chlorite, quartz and calcite replace the biotite, hornblende and augite.

From Project Gutenberg