Chondrite
/ˈkɒn.draɪt/noun
A stony meteorite containing chondrules, tiny round grains formed in the early solar system.
Did you know?Chondrite is named for its chondrules, from Greek chondros, meaning “grain” or “seed,” a root that also hides inside medical words like chondromalacia and chondritis.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
χόνδρος (chóndros)
“grain, seed, lump; later also cartilage”
Modern Scientific Latin
Latin
chondr-
“a combining form used in scientific terms for cartilage or grain-like structures”
18th–19th Century
French/English scientific usage
chondrite
“a stony meteorite characterized by chondrules”
Modern English
English
chondrite
“a meteorite containing small silicate grains called chondrules”