Phyllite
/ˈfɪlaɪt/noun
A fine-grained metamorphic rock with a silky sheen, intermediate between slate and schist.
Did you know?Phyllite is named from Greek *phyllon* (“leaf”), the same ancient root behind *phyllo* and *chlorophyll*, because its thin foliation can look like stacked leaves or pages.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
phyllon
“leaf”
Late Latin
Latin
phyllon
“leaf (borrowed from Greek in scholarly usage)”
19th Century
English
phyllite
“a foliated metamorphic rock with a leaflike or layered structure”
Modern English
English
phyllite
“a fine-grained metamorphic rock between slate and schist”
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