aphantic

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adjective

Of a rock sample: compact, crystalline and too fine-grained in texture for its constituents to be identifiable.

OriginAncient Greek φάς (phás) ← English a- ← Proto-Hellenic *ə- →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

adjectiveaphantic (comparative more aphantic, superlative most aphantic)

comparative more aphantic · superlative most aphantic

  1. geographyOf a rock sample: compact, crystalline and too fine-grained in texture for its constituents to be identifiable.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*ə-
  4. Ancient Greekἀ- (a-)
  5. Englisha-
  6. Ancient Greekφάς (phás)
  7. Englishaphantic

From a- + Ancient Greek φάς (phás, “speaking”) + English -ic.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

aphantic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aphantic

MLA

“aphantic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aphantic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “aphantic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aphantic.

Source: aphantic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.