amphibole

2 definitions found

amphibole - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Amphibole \Am"phi*bole\ ([a^]m"f[i^]*b[=o]l), n. [Gr.
     'amfi`bolos doubtful, equivocal, fr. 'amfiba`llein to throw
     round, to doubt: cf. F. amphibole. Ha["u]y so named the genus
     from the great variety of color and composition assumed by
     the mineral.] (Min.)
     A common mineral embracing many varieties varying in color
     and in composition. It occurs in monoclinic crystals; also
     massive, generally with fibrous or columnar structure. The
     color varies from white to gray, green, brown, and black. It
     is a silicate of magnesium and calcium, with usually
     aluminium and iron. Some common varieties are tremolite,
     actinolite, asbestus, edenite, hornblende (the last
     name being also used as a general term for the whole
     species). Amphibole is a constituent of many crystalline
     rocks, as syenite, diorite, most varieties of trachyte, etc.
     See Hornblende.
     [1913 Webster]

amphibole - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  amphibole
      n 1: a mineral or mineral variety belonging to the amphibole
           group