protolithn.
/ˈprəʊtə(ʊ)lɪθ/, U.S. /ˈproʊdoʊˌlɪθ/, /ˈproʊdəˌlɪθ/ Geology.
The parent rock from which a given metamorphic rock developed.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > rock > metamorphic rock > [noun] > source material
protolith1960
1960 Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer. 71 531 Two contrasting intergradational lithic assemblages..characterize the protolith of the bedded rocks.
1974 Nature 15 Mar. 199/1 This investigation attempts to decipher the premetamorphic age of the protolith of a recrystallised breccia from Apollo 16.
1990 Jrnl. Petrol. 31 719 The data that we present suggest that the protoliths of these rocks were plagioclase-rich, low-pressure fractionation products.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1960