Enargite

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mineral composed primarily of copper, arsenic, and sulfur, typically occurring as orthorhombic crystals and often found in hydrothermal veins associated with copper deposits
2. A dark metallic ore containing copper and arsenic elements combined with sulfur, notable for its crystal form and use as a copper source in mining
3. A naturally occurring sulfide mineral consisting of copper arsenic sulfide, recognized for its distinct crystal structure and importance in extracting copper from mineral deposits

Etymology: The name comes from the Greek "enargēs," meaning "distinct" or "plain to see." Mineralogists chose it because the mineral has sharp, easily visible cleavage planes that split cleanly along its prism faces. The name is a modern scientific coinage built on the classical Greek adjective, so ancient Greeks would not have recognized the mineral. The "enarg-" stem is shared with "argentum" (silver) only at a distance, a point easily confused. The Greek root "argos" meaning "bright, shining" also appears in words like "argent," but the link between "enargēs" and that root is one of meaning rather than a clear shared ancestor, so the connection is best treated as a loose resemblance.