Word Study

: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

[2x]

: O Oï Oö Oœ O. Oa Ob Oc Od Oe Of Og Oh Oi Oj Ok Ol Om On Oo Op Oq Or Os Ot Ou Ov Ow Ox Oy Oz

Table of Contents POS
HYPHEN
WORDNET DICTIONARY
CIDE DICTIONARY
OXFORD DICTIONARY

obsidian

POS

Noun

HYPHEN

ob=sid=i=an

top

WORDNET DICTIONARY

Noun obsidian has 1 sense

obsidian(n = noun.substance) - acid or granitic glass formed by the rapid cooling of lava without crystallization; usually dark, but transparent in thin pieces;

is a kind of

volcanic glass

top

CIDE DICTIONARY

obsidian, n. [L. Obsidianus lapis, so named, according to Pliny, after one Obsidius, who discovered it in Ethiopia: cf. F. obsidiane, obsidienne. The later editions of Pliny read Obsianus lapis, and Obsius, instead of Obsidianus lapis, and Obsidius.].

A kind of glass produced by volcanoes. It is usually of a black color, and opaque, except in thin splinters. [1913 Webster]

" In a thin section it often exhibits a fluidal structure, marked by the arrangement of microlites in the lines of the flow of the molten mass." [1913 Webster]

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

obsidian, n. a dark glassy volcanic rock formed from hardened lava.

Etymology

L obsidianus, error for obsianus f. Obsius, the name (in Pliny) of the discoverer of a similar stone

For further exploring for "obsidian" in Webster Dictionary Online