pseudomorph
English
Etymology
pseudo- (“false”) + -morph (“form”)
Noun
pseudomorph (plural pseudomorphs)
- A deceptive, irregular, or false form; specifically:
- (geology, mineralogy) A mineral that formed by replacement of an existing mineral (or organic matter) such that the new mineral has the appearance and dimensions of the original.
- Petrified wood is a silicic pseudomorph of the original wood.
- 1852, James D. Dana, A Manual of Mineralogy, page 54:
- The first kind of pseudomorphs, are pseudomorphs by alteration; the second, pseudomorphs by replacement; the third, pseudomorphs by infiltration; the fourth, pseudomorphs by incrustation.
- (geology, mineralogy) A mineral that formed by replacement of an existing mineral (or organic matter) such that the new mineral has the appearance and dimensions of the original.
Derived terms
- pseudomorphic
Related terms
- pseudomorphism
Translations
a mineral that formed by replacement of an existing mineral or organic matter
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