pyroxene

[ pahy-rok-seen, puh-, pahy-rok-seen ]

noun

1. any of a very common group of minerals of many varieties, silicates of magnesium, iron, calcium, and other elements, occurring as important constituents of many kinds of rocks, especially basic igneous rocks.

pyroxene

/ ˌpaɪrɒkˈsɛnɪk; paɪˈrɒksiːn /

noun

1. any of a group of silicate minerals having the general formula ABSi 2 O 6 , where A is usually calcium, sodium, magnesium, or iron, and B is usually magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese, or aluminium. Pyroxenes occur in basic igneous rocks and some metamorphic rocks, and have colours ranging from white to dark green or black. They may be monoclinic (clinopyroxenes) or orthorhombic (orthopyroxenes) in crystal structure. Examples are augite (the most important pyroxene), diopside, enstatite, hypersthene, and jadeite

pyroxene

/ pī-rŏk′sēn′ /

1. Any of a series of dark silicate minerals having the general chemical formula ABSi 2 O 6 , where A is either calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), or iron (Fe), and B is either magnesium, iron, chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), or aluminum (Al). Pyroxenes vary in color from white to dark green or black and are characterized by a rectangular-shaped cross section. They can be either monoclinic or orthorhombic and occur in igneous and metamorphic rocks. The minerals enstatite, diopside, and augite are pyroxenes.

Derived Forms

• pyroxenic, adjective

Other Words From

• py·rox·en·ic [pahy-rok-, sen, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyroxene¹

1790–1800; < French; pyro-, xeno-; originally supposed to be a foreign substance when found in igneous rocks

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyroxene¹

C19: pyro- + -xene from Greek xenos foreign, because it was mistakenly thought to have originated elsewhere when found in igneous rocks

Example Sentences

When we first looked at Kamo’oalewa we detected a mineral called pyroxene…that is very similar to what we seen on the Moon.

From Popular-Science

Hypersthene is not the prevailing pyroxene, and olivine is usually present, often in such abundance as to make the rock a basalt.

From Project Gutenberg

Rougemonite consists largely of anorthite with pyroxene as the only important ferro-magnesian constituent.

From Project Gutenberg

The third is less easily recognized as pyroxene, another of the many minerals containing iron.

From Project Gutenberg

The pyroxene in particular is very much changed, and quickly crumbles away in the hand.

From Project Gutenberg

Pyroxene is most abundantly represented as crystals in many kinds of igneous and metamorphic rocks.

From Project Gutenberg