Meanings
plural erionites
- countableuncountablechemistryA zeolite mineral with a molecular structure similar to chabazite, usually found in weathered volcanic ash.
Erionite is one of a large group of silicate minerals called zeolites, microporous aluminosilicates, commonly found in altered volcanic tuffs, volcanic ash and muds derived from them.
2017, Ann G. Wylie, “2: Asbestos and Fibrous Erionite”, in Joseph R. Testa, editor, Asbestos and Mesothelioma, Springer,, page 332 more examples
1997, R. P. Nolan, A. M. Langer, Physico-chemical Properties of Inorganic Particles Controlling Biological Activity, J. H. Duffus (chief editor), Carcinogenicity of Inorganic Substances, Royal Society of Chemistry, page 49, The dust clouds for both the erionite and crocidolite exposures containing 10mg/ m⁻³ of dust, which produce fibre levels of 354 fibre cm⁻³ and 1630 fibre cm⁻³ > 5 µm in length, respectively. The erionite cloud contained fewer fibres and more equant particles.
Moreover, Timblin et al. (1998) reported that while both erionites and crocidolite exposure induced genetic damage, as supported by increased unscheduled DNA synthesis, crocidolite was much faster and more effective than erionite at inducing apoptosis.
2015, Ali K. Hamade, Christopher M. Long, Peter A. Valberg, “Naturally Occurring Mineral Fibers”, in Raymond D. Harbison, Marie M. Bourgeois, Giffe T. Johnson, editors, Hamilton and Hardy's Industrial Toxicology, Wiley, page 1013
Origin
- Ancient Greekἔριον“wool”
- Englisherionite
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἔριον (érion, “wool”) + -ite.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French érionite
- érionitezeolite mineral
German Erionit
- Erionitzeolite mineral
Cite this entry
erionite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erionite
“erionite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erionite. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “erionite,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erionite.
Source: erionite on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.