An ore mineral of silver typically occurring as small, silver-grey, thorn-shaped or prismatic crystals, or in polycrystalline masses.
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Quarterly Journal of the Chemical Society. From German Akanthit from ancient Greek ἄκανθα thorn + German -it. The mineral is so named on account of the shape of its crystals.
Definition of acanthite in US English:
acanthite
nounəˈkanθʌɪt
Mineralogy
An ore mineral of silver typically occurring as small, silver-grey, thorn-shaped or prismatic crystals, or in polycrystalline masses.
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Quarterly Journal of the Chemical Society. From German Akanthit from ancient Greek ἄκανθα thorn + German -it. The mineral is so named on account of the shape of its crystals.