pseudomorph

[ soo-duh-mawrf ]

noun

1. an irregular or unclassifiable form.
2. a mineral having the outward appearance of another mineral that it has replaced by chemical action.

pseudomorph

/ ˈsjuːdəʊˌmɔːf /

noun

1. a mineral that has an uncharacteristic crystalline form as a result of assuming the shape of another mineral that it has replaced

Derived Forms

• ˌpseudoˈmorphism, noun
• ˌpseudoˈmorphic, adjective

Other Words From

• pseudo·morphic pseudo·morphous adjective
• pseudo·morphism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pseudomorph¹

First recorded in 1840–50; pseudo- + -morph

Example Sentences

The textures they saw under the microscope led them to believe they weren't seeing a pseudomorph at all, but the result of many epidodes of cracking and sealing.

From Scientific American

See, we used to think that Tiger's Eye was a quartz pseudomorph after crocidolite.

From Scientific American

Only, when they got it under the scanning electron microscope and looked at it more closely than anyone else had done, they didn't see a pseudomorph.

From Scientific American

But the chatoyancy was lost if the oxides replaced the crocidolite fibers completely, as they would in a typical pseudomorph.

From Scientific American

The textures they saw under the microscope led them to believe they weren't seeing a pseudomorph at all, but the result of many epidodes of cracking and sealing.

From Scientific American