Standard Lemma guide

cristobalite

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A mineral of volcanic rocks that solidified at a high temperature. Cristobalite is chemically identical to quartz, with the chemical formula SiO2, but has a different crystal structure. Crystals are always microscopic, and usually form small rounded masses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, geography, geology, mineralogy, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a white mineral consisting of silica; found in volcanic rocks

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mineral

History

Etymology

Named for the type locality at Cerro San Cristóbal, Mexico, + -ite.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: kristobaliiitti — mineral
  • Polish: krystobalit — mineral