Clast
/klæst/noun
A fragment of rock or sediment broken from a larger mass.
Did you know?Clast comes from Greek klastós, “broken,” from kláō, “I break,” the same ancient break-root behind words like anaclastic and cataclastic.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
klastós
“broken”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kláō
“I break”
Late Latin
Latin
clastus
“broken (learned form)”
19th Century
English
clast
“a fragment of rock or sediment”
Modern English
English
clast
“a fragment of rock or sediment”