basalt
nounUK /ˈbæs.ɒlt/ · US /bəˈsɔlt/
Etymology From Late Latin basaltes, a misspelling of Latin basanites, from Ancient Greek βασανίτης (basanítēs), from βάσανος (básanos, “touchstone”), from Egyptian bḫn (“a hard stone”), b-x:n-O39
1
Chemistry, Geography, Geology, Mineralogy, Natural sciences, Physical sciences A hard mafic igneous rock of varied mineral content; volcanic in origin, which makes up much of the Earth's oceanic crust.
2
A type of unglazed pottery.
- Derived terms
- alkali basalt, basaltic, basaltiform, basaltine, basaltoid, basaltware, metabasalt, metabasaltic, nonbasalt, picrobasalt, pillow basalt, plateau basalt, trachybasalt
- Hypernyms
- molten rock
- Hyponyms
- flood basalt