The Collaborative International Dictionary
Cerite \Ce"rite\, n. [From Cherium.] (Min.) A mineral of a brownish of cherry-red color, commonly massive. It is a hydrous silicate of cerium and allied metals.
Cerite \Ce"rite\, n. [Gr. ke`ras horn.] (Zo["o]l.) A gastropod shell belonging to the family Cerithi["i]d[ae]; -- so called from its hornlike form.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context mineral English) A hydrous silicate of cerium (and other metals). 2 (context zoology English) A horn-shaped cerithiid shell.
Wikipedia
Cerite is a complex silicate mineral group containing cerium, formula ( Ce, La, Ca)( Mg, Fe)( Si O)(SiOOH)( O H). The cerium and lanthanum content varies with the Ce rich species (cerite-(Ce)) and the La rich species (cerite-(La)). Analysis of a sample from the Mountain Pass carbonatite gave 35.05% CeO and 30.04% LaO.
Cerite was first described in 1803 for an occurrence in Bastnäs in Västmanland, Sweden. The lanthanum rich species, cerite-(La) was first described for an occurrence in the Khibina massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia in 2002.
Usage examples of "cerite".
Among the mollusks and zoöphytes, I found in the meshes of the net several species of alcyonarians, echini, hammers, spurs, dials, cerites, and hyalleæ.