hornblende

3 definitions found

hornblende - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Hornblende \Horn"blende`\, n. [G., fr. horn horn + blende
     blende.] (Min.)
     The common black, or dark green or brown, variety of
     amphibole. (See Amphibole.) It belongs to the aluminous
     division of the species, and is also characterized by its
     containing considerable iron. Also used as a general term to
     include the whole species.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Hornblende schist (Geol.), a hornblende rock of schistose
        structure.
        [1913 Webster]

  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]

hornblende - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  hornblende
      n 1: a green to black mineral of the amphibole group; consists
           of silicates of calcium and sodium and magnesium and iron