Albite
/ˈæl.baɪt/noun
A common sodium feldspar mineral, typically white, gray, or colorless.
Did you know?Albite was named from Latin albus, meaning “white,” because of its pale color, linking it to a whole family of words tied to brightness, whiteness, and even the albedo of light-reflecting surfaces.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
Latin
albus
“white, bright, shining”
18th Century
German
Albit
“a white feldspar mineral”
18th Century
French
albite
“a white feldspar mineral”
19th Century
English
albite
“a sodium-rich feldspar mineral”