diorite

D2I1O1R1I1T1E1
/ˈdaɪ.əˌɹaɪt/

noun

A grey intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of plagioclase feldspar, biotite, hornblende and/or pyroxene.

OriginFrench diorite ← Ancient Greek διορίζω →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

noundiorite (countable and uncountable, plural diorites)

plural diorites

  1. countableuncountablegeographyA grey intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of plagioclase feldspar, biotite, hornblende and/or pyroxene.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekδιορίζω“distinguish”
  2. Frenchdiorite
  3. Englishdiorite

From French diorite, invented by mineralogist Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847), derived from Ancient Greek διορίζω (diorízō, “distinguish”), from δι- plus ὁρίζω (horízō, “to limit”).

More words from French, Ancient Greek

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Translations

Catalan diorita
  • dioritaIgneous rock
Chinese Mandarin 閃長岩 /闪长岩
  • 閃長岩 /闪长岩 (shǎnchángyán)Igneous rock
Finnish dioriitti
  • dioriittiIgneous rock
French diorite
  • dioriteIgneous rock
German Diorit
  • DioritIgneous rock
Italian diorite
  • dioriteIgneous rock
Japanese 閃緑岩
  • 閃緑岩 (senryokugan)Igneous rock
Polish dioryt
  • diorytIgneous rock
Portuguese diorito
  • dioritoIgneous rock
Russian диори́т
  • диори́т (diorít)Igneous rock
Spanish diorita
  • dioritaIgneous rock
Ukrainian діори́т
  • діори́т (diorýt)Igneous rock
Yiddish דיאָריט
  • דיאָריט (dyorit)Igneous rock
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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