Crossword clues for nephrite
The Collaborative International Dictionary
nephrite \neph"rite\ (?; 277), n. [Cf. F. n['e]phrite. See
nephritis.] (Min.)
A hard compact mineral, of a dark green color, formerly worn
as a remedy for diseases of the kidneys, whence its name;
kidney stone; a kind of jade. It varies in color from white
to dark green. It is the more common and less valuable
variety of jade, the other being jadeite. Large deposits are
found in Australia. Called also nephritic stone. See also
Jade.
--[MW10]
Wiktionary
n. (context mineralogy English) A semi-precious stone, one of the two types of stone commonly referred to as jade (the other being jadeite).
WordNet
n. an amphibole mineral consisting of calcium magnesium silicate in monoclinic crystalline form; a source of jade that is less valuable than from jadeite; once believed to cure kidney disorders
Wikipedia
Nephrite is a variety of the calcium and magnesium-rich amphibole mineral actinolite (aggregates of which also make up one form of asbestos). The chemical formula for nephrite is Ca( Mg, Fe) Si O(O H). It is one of two different mineral species called jade. The other mineral species known as jade is jadeite, which is a variety of pyroxene. While nephrite jade possess mainly grays and greens (and occasionally yellows, browns or whites), jadeite jade, which is rarer, can also contain blacks, reds, pinks and violets. Nephrite jade is an ornamental stone, used in carvings, beads, or cabochon cut gemstones.
Nephrite can be found in a translucent white to very light yellow form which is known in China as mutton fat jade, in an opaque white to very light brown or gray which is known as chicken bone jade, as well as in a variety of green colors. Canada is the principal source of modern lapidary nephrite. Nephrite jade was used mostly in pre-1800 China as well as in New Zealand, the Pacific Coast and Atlantic Coasts of North America, Neolithic Europe, and southeast Asia.
Usage examples of "nephrite".
Serpentine is softer than nephrite, has a lower specific gravity, and is more fragile.
Before the nineteenth century, a lot of what the Chinese called jade wasnt even nephrite, but a bunch of other virtuous stones.
In his hand lay an award-pendant, a white one: Megan recognized the Nephrite Serpent.
It was simply an ordinary piece of green stone, probably jadeite or nephrite, and the surface where it had been split glittered like fluorspar.
Japanese garden with pines imported from Kyoto and nephrite boulders taken from the coastal waters off Big Sur.
A fire-hardened point was the best that he might hope for temporarily unless chance should direct him upon a fragment of leek-green nephrite, or a piece of flint.
There was no furniture as such, only stands and cases and pedestals, likewise all of polished stone: jadeite, nephrite, agate, feldspar and onyx, glabrous gray chalcedony.
In most cases, the gray ashlars bore a veneer of carefully chosen and integrated slabs, marble, agate, chalcedony, jasper, nephrite, materials more exotic than that.