hepatite

H4E1P3A1T1I1T1E1

noun

A variety of barite that emits a foetid odour when rubbed or heated.

OriginLatin hepatitis ← Ancient Greek ἧπαρ →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounhepatite (countable and uncountable, plural hepatites)

plural hepatites

  1. countabledateduncountablechemistryA variety of barite that emits a foetid odour when rubbed or heated.

    Carbon forms the basis of several of the combustibles; as coal, bitumen, amber, &c.; and it enters into the composition of a few minerals in small proportion; in the Aberthaw limestone, the hepatite, semi-opal, and in clay-slate, not exceeding 1 or 2 per cent.;[…].

    1823, [1816], William Phillips, An Elementary Introduction to the Knowledge of Mineralogy, 3rd edition, page lii

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἧπαρ“liver”
  2. Latinhepatitis
  3. Englishhepatite

From Latin hepatitis, an unknown precious stone, from Ancient Greek ἧπαρ (hêpar, “liver”); compare French hépatite.

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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