mafic en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈmeɪfɪk/ (US)
- audio
- /ˈmæfɪk/ (US)
- /ˈmafɪk/ (UK)
Etymology
Blend of magnesium + ferric.
Meanings
-
Describing rocks, such as silicate minerals, magmas, and volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks, which contain relatively high concentrations of magnesium and iron.
Much of the southern half of the southeastern body is a mafic syenite, slightly more felsic than the shonkinite.
1954, J. C. Olson, D. R. Shawe, L. C. Pray, W. N. Sharp, Rare-Earth Mineral Deposits of the Mountain Pass District, San Bernadino County, California, U.S. Geological Survey, Professional Paper 261, page 22:As a whole, rocks of this type are referred to as mafic, because of the importance of magnesium and iron in their composition.
2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 60:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most mafic | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more mafic | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
Synonyms
Translations (3)
de mafisch (describing rocks, such as silicate minerals, magmas, and volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks, which contain relatively high concentrations of magnesium and iron) · fi mafinen (describing rocks, such as silicate minerals, magmas, and volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks, which contain relatively high concentrations of magnesium and iron) · fi emäksinen (describing rocks, such as silicate minerals, magmas, and volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks, which contain relatively high concentrations of magnesium and iron)