siliceous

or si·li·cious

[ suh-lish-uhs ]

adjective

1. containing, consisting of, or resembling silica.
2. growing in soil rich in silica.

siliceous

/ sɪˈlɪʃəs /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or containing abundant silica

   siliceous deposits

   a siliceous clay

2. (of plants) growing in or needing soil rich in silica

siliceous

/ sĭ-lĭsh′əs /

1. Resembling or containing silica.

Other Words From

• nonsi·liceous adjective
• nonsi·licious adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of siliceous¹

First recorded in 1650–60, siliceous is from the Latin word siliceus of flint or limestone. See silex, -eous

Example Sentences

Team members also utilized diatoms, a type of siliceous microalgae preserved within the sediments that is sensitive to changes in salinity, to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental changes that occurred following the 1964 earthquake.

From Science Daily

When it comes to cleaning, you also need to be aware of whether your stone countertop or bathroom tile is calcareous or siliceous.

From Seattle Times

Because this style of siliceous fossilization extends long before and after the Ediacaran, the biota’s appearance—and disappearance—were not just an accident of the fossil record, Tarhan says.

From Science Magazine

M. Travers has suggested that it may explain the liberation of helium from minerals by heat, the gas being enabled to permeate the siliceous materials in which it is enclosed.

From Project Gutenberg

The Reading beds consist of mottled and yellow clays and sands, the latter are frequently hardened into masses made up of pebbles in a siliceous cement, known locally as Hertfordshire puddingstone.

From Project Gutenberg