colophonite
noun · first attested 19th century
The name reaches a mineral through pine resin, and reaches pine resin through an Ionian city.
An old varietal name for coarse granular garnet, usually andradite, with a resinous brown-yellow luster.
Record
- Relationship
- Indirect, via a person or title
- Confidence
- ProbableThe conventional story is likely, with caveats.
- Attested
- 19th century
- Part of speech
- noun
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
Colophon
- In English
colophonite
Colophonite was named from its resemblance in color to colophony, the brittle resin left after turpentine is distilled from pine sap. Colophony in turn comes from Latin colophonia resina, resin of Colophon, an Ionian city near modern Izmir that was known for producing hardened resin. The mineral name belongs to nineteenth century usage and has no standing with the IMA today.