rhyolite

R1H4Y4O1L1I1T1E1
/ˈɹaɪ.əˌlaɪt//ˈɹaɪ.oʊˌlaɪt/

noun

An igneous, volcanic (extrusive) rock, of felsic composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture.

Similar
liparitequartz-trachyte
OriginGerman Rhyolith ← Ancient Greek ῥέω →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

rhyolite1

nounrhyolite (countable and uncountable, plural rhyolites)

plural rhyolites

  1. countableuncountablegeographyAn igneous, volcanic (extrusive) rock, of felsic composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture.

    Synonyms: liparite, quartz-trachyte

Rhyolite2

proper noun
  1. A ghost town in Nye County, Nevada, United States.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn igneous, volcanic (extrusive) rock, of felsic composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture.

Similar
liparitequartz-trachyte
Also see
quartz-trachyte

Origin

rhyolite · noun

  1. Ancient Greekῥέω“flow”
  2. GermanRhyolith
  3. Englishrhyolite

Coined by Ferdinand von Richthofen as German Rhyolith, from Ancient Greek ῥέω (rhéō, “flow”) + λίθος (líthos, “stone”) (modified to + -lite).

More words from German, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Rhyolite · proper noun

From rhyolite, the rock.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech ryolit
  • ryolitigneous rock
Finnish ryoliitti
  • ryoliittiigneous rock
Icelandic líparít, ríólít
  • líparítigneous rock
  • ríólítigneous rock
  • ljósgrýtiigneous rock
  • baulusteinnigneous rock
Spanish riolita
  • riolitaigneous rock
Turkish riyolit
  • riyolitigneous rock
Cite this entry
APA

rhyolite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rhyolite

MLA

“rhyolite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rhyolite. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rhyolite,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rhyolite.

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