| 释义 |
‖ selenites Obs.|sɛlɪˈnaɪtiːz|
In 4–5 silenites. Also 7 selenitis.
[L. selēnītēs (also selēnītis) = Gr. σεληνίτης λίθος (lit. ‘moonstone’; so called because it was supposed to wax and wane with the moon), f. σελήνη moon: see -ite.]
1. = selenite1 1.
1398Trevisa Barth. De. P.R. xvi. xci. (1495) 584 Silenites is a stone of Perse grene as grasse and shineth with a white specke and this stone foloweth the mone and wexyth and waneth as the mone dooth. 1601Holland Pliny xxxvii. x. II. 629 Selenites is a precious stone, white and transparent. 1610Healey St. Aug. Citie of God xxi. v. 843. 1738 Chambers Cycl. (ed. 2), Selenites, among the ancient naturalists, denotes a white, or transparent figured stone; thus called from its representing the moon as in a glass...Some give the same appellation to Muscovy-talc, from an opinion, that its brightness increases and diminishes with the moon.
2. Min. = selenite1 2.
1681Grew Musæum iii. §i. v. 309 A lump of the Talk⁓rock near Spiral..consisteth of broken pieces, like those of the Selenites. 1695Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth iv. 172 A Body, that has the shape and appearance of a Diamond, may prove, upon Examination, to be nothing but Crystal, or Selenitis [(1713) Selenites]. a1728― Nat. Hist. Fossils i. (1729) I. 73 A pretty large Piece of a Selenites. 1753Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v., Selenites,..the name of a large class of fossils. Ibid., Of this class there are seven orders... The selenitæ of the first order are those composed of horizontal plates, and approaching to a rhomboidal form. 1820Gentl. Mag. Apr. 308/2 Quarries of Heddington yield fine selenitæ. |