spheruliticadj.
/sfɛr(j)ʊˈlɪtɪk/ Geology and Mineralogy.
1. Of rocks and other substances: Containing, or composed of, spherulites. Cf. spherulite n. 1c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > stone > a stone > [adjective] > concretionary or modular > spherulite > containing or composed of
variolitic1808
spherulitic1845
1845 J. Phillips & C. G. B. Daubeny Geol. in Encycl. Metrop. VI. 761/1 That concretionary structure which reminds us of some kinds of obsidian and sphærulitic traps.
1863 J. D. Dana Man. Geol. §6. 88 Spherulitic obsidian. Contains small feldspathic concretions.
1889 Hardwicke's Sci.-gossip 25 216 Pitchstone (ordinary, banded, and spherulitic).
1893 Mineral. Mag. X. 97 (table) LiNaSO4... Spherulitic... Some of the spherulites have a radial structure.
1975 Sci. Amer. Dec. 100/2 The microstructure of spherulitic polymers is also significantly affected by the phenomenon of secondary crystallization.
2. Pertaining to, characteristic of, spherulites.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > stone > a stone > [adjective] > concretionary or modular > spherulite > relating to
spherulitic1829
1829 Trans. Geol. Soc. II. 202 Even where no traces of spherolitic structure are visible, the ribboned arrangement of the rock is owing to the mass of matter having been drawn out in the direction of the zones while still liquid.
1878 P. H. Lawrence tr. B. von Cotta Rocks Classified (new ed.) 86 Spherulitic or Globuliferous. A texture so named, somewhat similar to the oolitic.
1879 F. Rutley Study of Rocks xi. 184 Spherulitic structure is sometimes developed in artificial glass.
1945 Trans. Faraday Soc. 41 321 One of the clearest demonstrations of the spherulitic structure was provided by a specimen of polythene.
1962 F. W. Billmeyer Textbk. Polymer Sci. v. 149 The point of initiation of spherulitic growth, its nucleus, may be a foreign particle..or may arise spontaneously in the melt.
3. Having the form or character of a spherulite.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > stone > a stone > [adjective] > concretionary or modular > spherulite
spherulitic1844
spherulitoid1889
1844 C. Darwin Geol. Observ. iii. 64 The little brown sphærulitic globules of the rocks of Ascension.
1888 F. Rutley Rock-forming Minerals 130 Sections passing through the centres of these spherulitic bodies.
1933 Bureau of Standards Jrnl. Res. (U.S.) 10 486 The appearance and properties of the spherulitic clusters did not depend upon the sample of ammoniated latex from which they had been prepared.
Derivatives
spheruˈlitically adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > crystallography (general) > crystal (general) > crystal habit > [adverb] > in the manner of a spherulite
spherulitically1975
1975 Sci. Amer. Dec. 104/2 A spherulitically crystallized polymer.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adj.1829