Liptinite

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of maceral in coal made up of fossil plant material such as spores, pollen, resins and waxes
2. One of the organic components found in coal, formed from the waxy and resinous parts of ancient plants
3. A coal constituent of the liptinite group, consisting of hydrogen-rich remains of plant spores and resins

Etymology: Liptinite is a term from coal petrology, the study of the organic material preserved in coal under the microscope. It names one of the three main groups of macerals, the microscopic components that make up coal, and it is a modern technical coinage rather than an ancient term. The name is built from Greek. The first element likely comes from "leptos", meaning "thin" or "fine", and the ending "-ite" is the standard suffix in scientific naming for rocks and minerals. The name refers to the thin, delicate character of these particles, which are typically plant material that resisted decay, such as spores, pollen, resins and waxes. Under ultraviolet light, they often stand out because they fluoresce.