laterite

laterite

See also: latérite

English

Traditional laterite temple in Kerala, India

Etymology

From Latin later (“brick”) +‎ -ite.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈlatəɹʌɪt/

Noun

laterite (countable and uncountable, plural laterites)

1. A red hard or gravel-like soil or subsoil formed in the tropics that has been leached of soluble minerals leaving insoluble iron and aluminium oxides and hydroxides; used to make bricks and roads.
   • 2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society 2011, p. 38:

     Constant tropical rain makes a mush of hard old lavas. The end product is a brick red soil called laterite.

Synonyms

• murram

Derived terms

• laterization
• lateritic

Translations

red hard or gravel-like soil or subsoil

Finnish: lateriitti (fi) French: latérite (fr) f Greek: λατερίτης (el) m (laterítis) Polish: lateryt m Spanish: laterita f Vietnamese: đá ong

Anagrams

• literate, teretial

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Italian

Noun

laterite f (plural lateriti)

1. laterite

Anagrams

• latterei, latterie, lattiere, lettiera, rieletta, tiratele