pyroxenite

[ pahy-rok-suh-nahyt, puh- ]

noun

, Petrology.

1. any rock composed essentially, or in large part, of pyroxene of any kind.

pyroxenite

/ paɪˈrɒksɪˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a very dark coarse-grained ultrabasic rock consisting entirely of pyroxene minerals

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyroxenite¹

First recorded in 1860–65; pyroxene + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

For example, Mauna Loa contains higher proportions of an igneous rock called pyroxenite, which comes from subducted ocean crust that typically melts at deeper levels than the model suggests.

From New York Times

Chromite is a common minor constituent of basic igneous rocks of the peridotite and pyroxenite type.

From Project Gutenberg