Kimberlite
/ˈkɪmbərlaɪt/noun
A dark igneous rock that can carry diamonds from deep within Earth’s mantle to the surface.
Did you know?Kimberlite received its name after the diamond-bearing rock discovered near Kimberley, South Africa, in 1871, rather than from an ancient mystical or mineral term.
Etymological Timeline
Old English period
Old English
Cyneburg
“A personal name meaning “royal fortress” or “royal protection,” formed from cyne, “royal,” and burg, “fortress.””
Old English period
Old English
lēah
“A woodland clearing, meadow, or open place in a forest.”
Medieval period
English
Kimberley
“A place-name, probably meaning “Cyneburg’s clearing,” formed from a personal name plus lēah.”
1871
English
Kimberley
“The South African mining town where diamond-bearing volcanic rock was identified during the diamond rush.”
Late 19th century
English
kimberlite
“A geological term formed from Kimberley plus the mineral-rock suffix -ite, referring to the diamond-bearing igneous rock associated with the locality.”
Modern English
English
kimberlite
“A volatile-rich volcanic rock brought upward from the mantle, sometimes containing diamonds.”