Olivine
/ˈɒl.ɪ.viːn/noun
A green to yellow-green silicate mineral found in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Did you know?Olivine was named for its olive-green color, and its extreme abundance in Earth’s mantle makes it one of the planet’s most important minerals, not just a pretty stone.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
elaia
“olive tree; olive fruit”
Latin
Latin
oliva
“olive”
18th Century
French
olivine
“olive-green; of an olive color”
1790s
English
olivine
“a green mineral named for its olive-like color”
Modern English
English
olivine
“a magnesium-iron silicate mineral”