Molochitis
/məˈlɒkɪtɪs/noun
An obsolete or variant name for malachite, a green copper carbonate mineral.
Did you know?The name reflects malachite’s leaf-green color, while malachite itself was ground into eye pigment and used in ancient Egyptian cosmetics.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European (probable)
PIE
*mel-
“A reconstructed root associated with soft or tender plant matter; the deeper ancestry of the mallow word-family is uncertain.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
maláchē (μαλάχη)
“Mallow, the soft-leaved plant.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mōlōchē (μολόχη)
“A variant form meaning mallow.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mōlōchîtis líthos (μολωχῖτις λίθος)
“Mallow-colored or mallow-like stone.”
Late Latin
Latin
molochitis
“A green stone identified with malachite.”
Modern English
English
molochitis
“An obsolete or variant term for malachite.”