ophitic

adjective

ophit·​ic ä-ˈfi-tik How to pronounce ophitic (audio)
ō-
: having or being a rock fabric in which lath-shaped plagioclase crystals are enclosed in later formed augite

Word History

Etymology

ophite "rock with snake-like markings, serpentine" (borrowed from Latin ophītēs, borrowed from Greek ophī́tēs [líthos] "snake-like [stone]," from óphis "snake" + -itēs -ite entry 1) + -ic entry 1 — more at ophidian

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ophitic was in 1870

Dictionary Entries Near ophitic

ophite

ophitic

Ophiuchus

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Ophitic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ophitic. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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