1. Plural of achondrite; stony meteorites that lack chondrules and are thought to originate from the differentiated interiors of asteroids or other planetary bodies.
Usage: astronomy; geology; technical

Examples

• Scientists studied the achondrites recovered from the desert to understand the composition of early planetary bodies.
• Unlike chondrites, achondrites show evidence of having undergone melting and differentiation.
• The meteorite collection includes several rare achondrites from different parent bodies.
• Achondrites provide valuable information about the thermal history of asteroids.
• Researchers classified the newly discovered meteorite as one of the achondrites based on its mineral structure.