triphylite

[ trif-uh-lahyt ]

noun

1. a mineral, a rare phosphate of lithium, iron, and manganese, usually occurring in masses of a bluish or greenish color.

triphylite

/ ˈtrɪfɪˌlaɪt /

noun

1. a bluish-grey rare mineral that consists of lithium iron phosphate in orthorhombic crystalline form and occurs in pegmatites. Formula: LiFePO 4

Word History and Origins

Origin of triphylite¹

1830–40; tri- + Greek phȳl ( ḗ ) tribe, phyle + -ite ¹; replacing triphyline < German Triphylin

Word History and Origins

Origin of triphylite¹

C19: from tri- + phyl- , from Greek phulon family + -ite ¹, referring to its three bases