Breccial

/ˈbrɛʃəl/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or composed of breccia, a type of rock made of angular rock fragments cemented together.

Etymology

From breccia (Italian breccia, from Vulgar Latin breccia meaning 'broken stone'), plus the adjective suffix -al. The word traveled from Italian into geological terminology in the 18th century.

Kelly Says

Geologists use 'breccial' to describe rocks that are basically nature's way of gluing broken pieces together—it's like a geological mosaic that often forms after earthquakes or volcanic explosions smash rocks into angular fragments.

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