quword 趣词
Word Origins Dictionary
- obsidian (n.)




- "dark, hard volcanic rock," 1650s, from Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) "(stone) of Obsius," name of a Roman alleged by Pliny to have found this rock in Ethiopia.
- phonolite (n.)




- a kind of volcanic rock that rings when struck, c. 1830, literally "sounding stone," from phono- + -lite. Based on German klingstein.
- tufa (n.)




- type of porous rock, 1770, from Italian tufa "tufa, porous rock," probably from Latin tufus, tophus "loose, porous volcanic rock," said to be an Oscan-Umbrian loan-word. Related: Tufaceous.
- leucite




- "A potassium aluminosilicate mineral, crystallizing in the tetrahedral system and typically found as grey or white glassy trapezohedra in volcanic rocks", Late 18th century: from Greek leukos 'white' + -ite1.