andesite

noun

an·​des·​ite ˈan-di-ˌzīt How to pronounce andesite (audio)
: an extrusive usually dark grayish rock consisting essentially of oligoclase or feldspar
andesitic
ˌan-di-ˈzi-tik How to pronounce andesite (audio)
adjective

Examples of andesite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It is carved from augite andesite, a dark black porous volcanic stone, according to the release. — Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 13 May 2024 The pre-1980 cone, which took shape in just the past 2,500 years, consisted in part of mountain-building andesite rocks. — Steve Olson, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2017 Much of the area around the caldera is covered by basaltic andesite lava flows related to the magmatic system at Newberry, erupting as fissures and cinder cones along faults that cross the area. — Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 17 June 2024 Featuring lots of timber and indigenous andesite stone, their low profiles create intimate communal spaces. — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025 Further proof emerged in studies of volcanic rocks found at Katmai called andesites and dacites, which had the same chemical composition as those blasted out of Novarupta. — Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

German Andesit, from Andes

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of andesite was in 1837

Rhymes for andesite

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Browse Nearby Words

andesinite
andesite
and everything
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Cite this Entry

“Andesite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/andesite. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

andesite

noun
an·​des·​ite ˈan-di-zīt How to pronounce andesite (audio)
: a usually dark grayish rock of feldspar that is formed from lava
andesitic
ˌan-di-ˈzit-ik How to pronounce andesite (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on andesite

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about andesite

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