Hemipyramid

/ˌhɛmɪˈpɪrəmɪd/ noun

Definition

A crystalline form in mineralogy where only half of the faces of a full pyramid are present, due to the crystal's symmetry.

Etymology

From 'hemi-' (half) plus 'pyramid' from Greek 'pyramis'. A technical term in crystallography for describing mineral crystal shapes.

Kelly Says

Diamonds and quartz crystals grow into precise geometric shapes determined by how atoms bond—a hemipyramid is when atoms can only build on one side, making a crystal that's literally half a pyramid!

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