diabase

[ dahy-uh-beys ]
/ ˈdaɪ əˌbeɪs /

noun Petrology.

a fine-grained gabbro occurring as minor intrusions.
British. a dark igneous rock consisting essentially of augite and feldspar; an altered dolerite.

Origin of diabase

1810–20; < French, equivalent to dia- (error for di- two) + base base1

OTHER WORDS FROM diabase

di·a·ba·sic, adjective

Words nearby diabase

di-, di-amelia, di., dia-, dia., diabase, diabatic, diabelli, diabetes, diabetes insipidus, diabetes intermittens

Example sentences from the Web for diabase

British Dictionary definitions for diabase

diabase
/ (ˈdaɪəˌbeɪs) /

noun

British an altered dolerite
US another name for dolerite

Derived forms of diabase

diabasic, adjective

Word Origin for diabase

C19: from French, from Greek diabasis a crossing over, from diabainein to cross over, from dia- + bainein to go

Scientific definitions for diabase

diabase
[ dī′ə-bās′ ]

A dark-gray to black, medium-grained igneous rock consisting mainly of labradorite and pyroxene. Diabase is compositionally similar to andesite, but has coarser grains. It is commonly found in sills and dikes. Also called dolerite