Chondrule
/ˈkɒn.druːl/noun
A small rounded grain found in some meteorites, especially chondrites.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek for "grain" and was coined in the 19th century for the tiny spherical droplets that make chondritic meteorites look like cosmic stone soup.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
χόνδρος (chóndros)
“grain, groats; also cartilage”
19th Century
English
chondrule
“a small grain or rounded particle, especially in meteorites”
Modern English
English
chondrule
“a tiny spherical silicate grain found in chondritic meteorites”
Modern Scientific Usage
English
chondrite
“a stony meteorite containing chondrules”