Scolecite
/ˈskoʊləsʌɪt/noun
A white or colorless hydrous calcium-aluminum silicate mineral, often forming delicate needlelike or worm-shaped crystals.
Did you know?Scolecite was named from the Greek word for “worm” because its slender crystal groups can resemble tiny curling or writhing organisms.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
σκώληξ (skṓlēx)
“Worm or grub”
Classical to Medieval Latin
Latin
scolēx
“A worm; later, a zoological term for a tapeworm’s head”
19th Century
Scientific Greek
scolec-
“Combining form meaning “worm””
1813
German mineralogy
Scolecit
“Name given to the mineral because of its wormlike crystal forms”
Modern English
English
scolecite
“A hydrous calcium-aluminum silicate mineral”
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