noun
- fragments of rock that are foreign to the igneous rock in which they are embedded
Usage: geology
Examples
- The volcanic rock contained several xenoliths from the surrounding limestone.
- Geologists studied the xenoliths to understand the composition of the Earth’s mantle.
- The basalt sample showed clear xenoliths of older crustal material.
- These xenoliths provide evidence of the magma’s journey through different rock layers.
- The diamond-bearing xenoliths were brought up from deep within the Earth.
- Scientists analyzed the xenoliths to determine the temperature conditions during eruption.