Botryoidal

/bɒtriˈɔɪdəl/ adjective

Definition

Showing or shaped like a bunch of grapes, especially when describing how minerals or other substances form in rounded, grape-like clusters.

Etymology

From botryoid + -al (adjective-forming suffix). This expanded the term to work more naturally as an adjective in English geological and biological texts.

Kelly Says

The suffix '-al' transforms visual descriptions into the kind of adjectives scientists can string together—'botryoidal quartz' rolls off the tongue better than 'quartz that is botryoid,' and these tiny language choices made science more readable.

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