ophite

[ of-ahyt, oh-fahyt ]
/ ˈɒf aɪt, ˈoʊ faɪt /

noun Petrology.

a diabase in which elongate crystals of plagioclase are embedded in pyroxene.

Origin of ophite

1350–1400; Middle English ophites < Latin ophītēs serpentine stone < Greek ophī́tēs ( líthos) serpentine (stone), equivalent to óph(is) serpent + -ī́tēs -ite1

OTHER WORDS FROM ophite

o·phit·ic [oh-fit-ik] /oʊˈfɪt ɪk/, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for ophitic

British Dictionary definitions for ophitic (1 of 2)

ophitic
/ (əʊˈfɪtɪk) /

adjective

(of the texture of rocks such as dolerite) having small elongated unorientated feldspar crystals enclosed within pyroxene grains

British Dictionary definitions for ophitic (2 of 2)

ophite
/ (ˈəʊfaɪt) /

noun

any of several greenish mottled rocks with ophitic texture, such as dolerite and diabase

Word Origin for ophite

C17: from Latin ophītēs, from Greek, from ophis snake: because the mottled appearance resembles the markings of a snake