fluorite

[ floor-ahyt, flawr-, flohr- ]

noun

1. a common mineral, calcium fluoride, CaF 2 , occurring in green, blue, purple, yellow, or colorless crystals, usually in cubes: the principal source of fluorene, used also as a flux in metallurgy and for ornament.

fluorite

/ ˈflʊəraɪt /

noun

1. a white or colourless mineral sometimes fluorescent and often tinted by impurities, found in veins and as deposits from hot gases. It is used in the manufacture of glass, enamel, and jewellery, and is the chief ore of fluorine. Composition: calcium fluoride. Formula: CaF 2 . Crystal structure: cubic Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)fluorsparfluor

fluorite

/ flr′īt′ /

1. A transparent to translucent mineral occurring in many colors, especially yellow and purple, and usually in cube-shaped crystals with octahedral cleavage. It is found in sedimentary rocks and in ore deposits within igneous rocks. It is often fluorescent in ultraviolet light. Chemical formula: CaF 2 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluorite¹

From Italian, dating back to 1865–70; fluor-, -ite ¹

Example Sentences

One result is the fluorspar district of southern Illinois, which once produced a majority of the country’s fluorite—used to smelt steel and create hydrofluoric acid.

From Science Magazine

He said the five most sought-after varieties included tourmaline, aquamarine, crystallized gold, fluorite and rhodochrosite.

From New York Times

Choose amethyst, purple fluorite, blue lace agate or rose quartz.

From Washington Times

And the high-level government official who uses fluorite to take astral journeys to the International Space Station.

From Washington Post

Two hunks of polished green fluorite, a mineral popular in the world of healing crystals, sit on chained steel trolleys.

From New York Times