Natalyte

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A rare naturally occurring crystalline mineral found in certain geological deposits and named after a person
2. A scarce mineral substance formed in the earth, identified by mineralogists as a distinct crystalline material
3. Uncommon crystalline mineral occurring naturally in rock formations and recognized by its specific chemical makeup

Etymology: The ending of "natalyte" follows the naming convention of mineralogy. The suffix "-ite" is attached to mineral names, and "-yte" is a spelling variant of it. The ending comes from Greek "lithos," meaning stone, which passed into scientific Latin and then into the names of minerals. Mineralogists chose it so that a name would signal at once that the substance was a mineral. The first part of the name, "Natal," is the root that distinguishes this particular mineral from others that share the same suffix.