noun
- Plural of diabase; a dark, fine-grained igneous rock composed mainly of pyroxene and plagioclase feldspar.
Usage: geology; technical
Examples
- The quarry extracted large blocks of diabase for construction materials.
- Diabases are commonly found in dike formations throughout the region.
- Geologists identified the dark rock samples as diabases based on their mineral composition.
- The diabases in this area formed from the cooling of magma beneath the Earth's surface.
- Building contractors prefer diabases for their durability and strength.