diorite

[ dahy-uh-rahyt ]

noun

1. a granular igneous rock consisting essentially of plagioclase feldspar and hornblende.

diorite

/ ˌdaɪəˈrɪtɪk; ˈdaɪəˌraɪt /

noun

1. a dark coarse-grained igneous plutonic rock consisting of plagioclase feldspar and ferromagnesian minerals such as hornblende

diorite

/ dī′ə-rīt′ /

1. A gray, coarse-grained plutonic rock. Diorite consists mainly of sodium-rich plagioclase and one or more mafic minerals such as biotite, hornblende, or pyroxene. It is the coarse-grained equivalent of andesite.

Derived Forms

• dioritic, adjective

Other Words From

• di·o·rit·ic [dahy-, uh, -, rit, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of diorite¹

1820–30; < French < Greek dior ( ízein ) to distinguish ( di- ³, horizon ) + French -ite -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of diorite¹

C19: from French, from Greek diorizein to distinguish (from dia- apart + horizein to define) + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

Researchers started with an exceptionally fast-weathering rock called quartz diorite and ground it to speed things up even more.

From Nature

Curious members of a penguin colony on Cape Leogoupi watched as he pounded on slabs of black granite and diorite rising out of the southern ocean.

From Washington Times

Other words in the final game included "ventrous" - meaning adventurous - which scored 65 points, and "diorite", which saw Mr Beever awarded 69 points and means igneous rock.

From BBC

I’d fallen into a slow, hypnotic rhythm—swing, swing; kick, kick; swing, swing; kick, kick— when my left ice ax slammed into a slab of diorite a few inches beneath the rime.

From Literature

The great pressure needed for driving the drills and saws with the requisite rapidity through the blocks of granite and diorite is indeed surprising.

From Project Gutenberg