pyrite
noun
py·rite
| \ ˈpī-ˌrīt
\
\
Definition of pyrite
: a common mineral that consists of iron disulfide, has a pale brass-yellow color and metallic luster, and is burned in making sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid
Examples of pyrite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Soft tissue such as muscle do not typically fossilize, but these were preserved as the mineral pyrite. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "A 150-Year Old Weird Ancient Animal Mystery, Solved," 22 Feb. 2019 The pyrite half of the Paleolithic firestarting kit often doesn't last as long as flint, because pyrite tends to oxidize and corrode away over time. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Neanderthals used stone hand axes to strike a light," 26 July 2018 There’s a knack to striking sparks from flint and pyrite, as any sufficiently old-school backpacker can tell you. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Neanderthals used stone hand axes to strike a light," 26 July 2018 Materials like the copper ore mineral chalcocite and fool's gold, pyrite, are sulfidic anions. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Sulfuric Volcanoes May Have Quickened Life on Earth," 9 Apr. 2018 The free-agent market is often a place of pyrite rather than gold. — David Murphy, Philly.com, "Jake Arrieta's fastball not the only thing that's changed | David Murphy," 13 Mar. 2018 But the latest market gold rush also has produced its share of pyrite. — Paul Vigna, WSJ, "China Bans Digital Coin Offers as Celebrities Like Paris Hilton Tout Them," 4 Sep. 2017 The perimeter has darker stones like tourmaline, hematite and pyrite that are said to block negative energy and electromagnetic fields produced by electronic objects. — Caroline Tell, New York Times, "The Great Crystal Boom of 2017," 15 Aug. 2017 The Tic-Tac-Toe Set from Sawyer Collection is the ultimate board game with handcrafted playing pieces containing a white color or a natural pyrite. — Coastmag, Orange County Register, "Defying Designs," 3 Mar. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pyrite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for pyrite
pyrite
noun
English Language Learners Definition of pyrite
: a common mineral that is shiny and pale yellow in color
See the full definition for pyrite in the English Language Learners Dictionary