Forsterite

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A silicate mineral characterized by a substantial magnesium content is typically found in certain volcanic rock formations
2. Comprising mainly magnesium silicate, this mineral is frequently associated with high-temperature geological environments
3. A mineral composed primarily of magnesium silicate commonly present in igneous rocks with high magnesium levels

Etymology: Forsterite is named after a person, a German mineral dealer named Adolarius Jacob Forster. The "-ite" ending is the standard suffix mineralogists attach to mineral names, so the word is simply a surname plus that suffix, a label honouring the man rather than a description of the stuff itself. Forster's name ended up on the mineral because of his trade. Dealers who handled specimens often had minerals named after them, and the naming was a way of recognising someone who had supplied or identified the material. Forsterite is itself a magnesium-rich member of the olivine group, and the name stuck to this magnesium end of the family.