gneiss

G2N1E1I1S1S1
/ˈnaɪs/

noun

A common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock having bands or veins, but not schistose.

OriginGerman Gneis ← Middle High German gneist ← Old High German gneisto →
UncommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

noungneiss (usually uncountable, plural gneisses)

plural gneisses

  1. uncountableusuallygeographyA common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock having bands or veins, but not schistose.

    The old towns along the route are as solidly built from the gneiss of the region as you might expect.

    2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 98

Origin

  1. Old High Germangneisto“spark”
  2. Middle High Germangneist“spark”
  3. GermanGneis
  4. Englishgneiss

From German Gneis, from Middle High German gneist (“spark”), from Old High German gneisto (“spark”). More at gnast.

More words from German, Middle High German, Old High German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans gneis
  • gneiscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Basque gneiss
  • gneisscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Catalan gneis
  • gneiscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Chinese Mandarin 片麻岩
  • 片麻岩 (piànmáyán)common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Czech rula
  • rulacommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Danish gnejs
  • gnejscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Dutch gneis
  • gneiscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Esperanto gnejso
  • gnejsocommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Estonian gneiss
  • gneisscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Finnish gneissi
  • gneissicommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
French gneiss
  • gneisscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
German Gneis
  • Gneiscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Greek γνεύσιος
  • γνεύσιος (gnéfsios)common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Hungarian gneisz
  • gneiszcommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Italian ortogneiss
  • ortogneisscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Japanese 片麻岩
  • 片麻岩 (henmagan)common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Korean 편마암
  • 편마암 (pyeonmaam)common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Lithuanian gneisas
  • gneisascommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Norwegian Bokmål gneis
  • gneiscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Persian گنیس
  • گنیس (gneys)common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Polish gnejs
  • gnejscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Portuguese gneisse
  • gneissecommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Russian гнейс
  • гнейс (gnejs)common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Spanish neis, gneis
  • neiscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
  • gneiscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Swedish gnejs
  • gnejscommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Ukrainian гнейс
  • гнейс (hnejs)common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock
Vietnamese gơ-nai
  • gơ-naicommon and widely-distributed metamorphic rock

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with gneiss

priceadvicenicedeviceicevicetwicenycmiceprecisespicedicesacrificesliceconcisethricesufficesplicelicewisviseenticeBricesais
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Sounds the same

nice
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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