a colourless or white glassy mineral consisting of beryllium silicate in hexagonal crystalline form: occurs in veins in granite. Formula: Be2SiO4
Word origin
C19: from Greek phenax a cheat, because of its deceptive resemblance to quartz
phenacite in American English
(ˈfenəˌsait)
noun
a rare vitreous mineral, beryllium silicate, Be2SiO4, occurring in crystals, sometimes used as a gem
Also: phenakite (ˈfenəˌkait)
Word origin
[1825–35; ‹ Gk phenak- (s. of phénax) a cheat, quack + -ite1]This word is first recorded in the period 1825–35. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: electrolyte, panda, self-help, structural, torque-ite is a suffix of nouns denoting esp. persons associated with a place, tribe, leader,doctrine, system, etc. (Campbellite; Israelite; laborite); minerals and fossils (ammonite; anthracite); explosives (cordite; dynamite); chemical compounds, esp. salts of acids whose names end in -ous (phosphite; sulfite); pharmaceutical and commercial products (vulcanite); a member or component of a part of the body (somite)