pyroxene

py·rox·ene  (p-rksn)

n.

Any of a group of crystalline silicate minerals common in igneous and metamorphic rocks and containing two metallic oxides, as of magnesium, iron, calcium, sodium, or aluminum.

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[French pyroxène : Greek puro-, pyro- + Greek xenos, stranger (originally viewed as a foreign substance when found in igneous rocks); see ghos-ti- in Indo-European roots.]

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pyrox·enic (prk-snk, -snk) adj.

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pyroxene [paɪˈrɒksiːn]

n

(Earth Sciences / Minerals) any of a group of silicate minerals having the general formula ABSi₂O₆, where A is usually calcium, sodium, magnesium, or iron, and B is usually magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese, or aluminium. Pyroxenes occur in basic igneous rocks and some metamorphic rocks, and have colours ranging from white to dark green or black. They may be monoclinic (clinopyroxenes) or orthorhombic (orthopyroxenes) in crystal structure. Examples are augite (the most important pyroxene), diopside, enstatite, hypersthene, and jadeite

[pyro- + -xene from Greek xenos foreign, because it was mistakenly thought to have originated elsewhere when found in igneous rocks]

pyroxenic  [ˌpaɪrɒkˈsɛnɪk] adj

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pyroxene  (p-rksn)

Any of a series of dark silicate minerals having the general chemical formula ABSi₂O₆, where A is either calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), or iron (Fe), and B is either magnesium, iron, chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), or aluminum (Al). Pyroxenes vary in color from white to dark green or black and are characterized by a rectangular-shaped cross section. They can be either monoclinic or orthorhombic and occur in igneous and metamorphic rocks. The minerals enstatite, diopside, and augite are pyroxenes.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

pyroxene - any of a group of crystalline silicate mineral common in igneous and metamorphic rocks mineral - solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition nephelinite - an igneous rock consisting of nepheline and pyroxene basalt - the commonest type of solidified lava; a dense dark grey fine-grained igneous rock that is composed chiefly of plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene