How Do You Spell FELSITE?

Pronunciation: [fˈɛlsa͡ɪt] (IPA)

Felsite is a type of igneous rock composed primarily of feldspar and quartz. It is spelled as /ˈfɛlsaɪt/, with the stress on the first syllable (/ˈfɛl/). The first four letters, "f-e-l-s," represent the main component of the rock, feldspar. The "i-t-e" suffix is commonly used in geological terms to indicate a type of rock. The phonetic transcription of the word is helpful for English learners to understand the correct pronunciation of the word.

FELSITE Meaning and Definition

1. Felsite is a fine-grained igneous rock composed primarily of quartz and feldspar, with minor amounts of other minerals such as mica, amphiboles, or pyroxenes. It is categorized as a type of volcanic rock, specifically a rhyolite.

   The term "felsite" is derived from the German word "Fels," which means rock. It is typically light-colored, ranging from white to pale pink or light gray, and may exhibit a porphyritic texture, with larger crystals (phenocrysts) embedded in a fine-grained groundmass. This rock formation is known for its extreme hardness, often ranking higher than quartz in terms of Mohs scale of mineral hardness.

   Felsite is the extrusive equivalent of granite, but due to its rapid cooling at or near the Earth's surface, it lacks the coarse-grained texture commonly associated with granites. It usually forms as a result of explosive volcanic activity, where the magma is rapidly ejected and solidifies quickly.

   This rock type has various applications in construction and architecture, as it possesses excellent strength and durability. Felsite can be utilized as a dimension stone for cladding or paving, and its fine-grained nature makes it suitable for detailed carvings and sculptures. Additionally, it can be crushed into aggregate for use in road construction or as a base material in concrete production. The attractive appearance of felsite, combined with its physical properties, makes it a desirable material for both aesthetic and practical purposes.

Common Misspellings for FELSITE

• delsite
• celsite
• velsite
• gelsite
• telsite
• relsite
• fwlsite
• fslsite
• fdlsite
• frlsite
• f4lsite
• f3lsite
• feksite
• fepsite
• feosite
• felaite
• felzite
• felxite
• feldite

Etymology of FELSITE

The word "felsite" is derived from the German term "Felsit", which was coined by the German mineralogist and geologist Friedrich Mohs in the early 19th century. Mohs derived the term from the German word "Fels", meaning "rock" or "stone", combined with the suffix "-it", used in mineralogy to denote a rock or mineral. Thus, "Felsit" referred to a rock-like substance. The term was later anglicized to "felsite" and became widely used among geologists and mineralogists to describe a fine-grained igneous rock with a composition similar to granite, but lacking quartz.

Plural form of FELSITE is FELSITES