Word Study
basalt
CIDE DICTIONARY
basalt, n. [L. basaltes (an African word), a dark and hard species of marble found in Ethiopia: cf. F. basalte.].
- A rock of igneous origin, consisting of augite and triclinic feldspar, with grains of magnetic or titanic iron, and also bottle-green particles of olivine frequently disseminated. [1913 Webster]" It is usually of a greenish black color, or of some dull brown shade, or black. It constitutes immense beds in some regions, and also occurs in veins or dikes cutting through other rocks. It has often a prismatic structure as at the Giant's Causeway, in Ireland, where the columns are as regular as if the work of art. It is a very tough and heavy rock, and is one of the best materials for macadamizing roads." [1913 Webster]
- An imitation, in pottery, of natural basalt; a kind of black porcelain. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
basalt, n.
1 a dark basic volcanic rock whose strata sometimes form columns.
2 a kind of black stoneware resembling basalt.
1 a dark basic volcanic rock whose strata sometimes form columns.
2 a kind of black stoneware resembling basalt.
Derivative
basaltic adj.
Etymology
L basaltes var. of basanites f. Gk f. basanos touchstone
THESAURUS
basalt
aa, abyssal rock, bedrock, block lava, brash, breccia, conglomerate, crag, druid stone, festooned pahoehoe, gneiss, granite, igneous rock, lava, limestone, living rock, magma, mantlerock, metamorphic rock, monolith, pahoehoe, pillow lava, porphyry, pudding stone, regolith, rock, ropy lava, rubble, rubblestone, sandstone, sarsen, schist, scoria, scree, sedimentary rock, shelly pahoehoe, stone, talus, tufa, tuffFor further exploring for "basalt" in Webster Dictionary Online