a bluish-grey rare mineral that consists of lithium iron phosphate in orthorhombic crystalline form and occurs in pegmatites. Formula: LiFePO4
Word origin
C19: from tri- + phyl-, from Greek phulon family + -ite1, referring to its three bases
triphylite in American English
(ˈtrɪfəˌlait)
noun
a mineral, a rare phosphate of lithium, iron, and manganese, usually occurring in masses of a bluish or greenish color
Also called: triphyline (ˈtrɪfəˌlin, -lɪn)
Word origin
[1830–40; tri- + Gk phȳl(e᷄) tribe, phyle + -ite1; r. triphyline ‹ G Triphylin]This word is first recorded in the period 1830–40. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: ante, isomerism, nationalism, orientation, showcase-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)