-lite

(= F. -lite, G. -lith, -lit), a frequent ending in names of minerals (also in names of certain fossils, as coprolite, and of certain types of mineral structure, as axiolite), represents the Gr. λίθος stone; the words in which it occurs are mostly intended to correspond to assumable Gr. formations, so that in actual use the ending is almost always -olite, with the thematic or combining o usual in Gr. compounds; there are a few exceptions, as auerlite, chesterlite. The form -lite, which was used in some original English formations (actynolite, etc.) by Kirwan in 1794, is due to the example of the French geologists, who used -lite instead of the older -lithe, the two spellings representing one and the same pronunciation in Fr. The adoption of the abnormal form was prob. helped by the analogy of CHRYSOLITE, where the t instead of th is due to the fact that the Gr. word came at an early period into Eng. by way of med.L. and OF.