noun
- A hard, speckled igneous rock composed of feldspar and dark minerals, used in building and sculpture.
Usage: geology; material science
Examples
- The ancient Egyptians carved statues from diorite because of its durability and dark color.
- Diorite is commonly used as a crushed stone for road construction.
- The monument was built with blocks of polished diorite.
- Geologists identified the rock sample as diorite based on its mineral composition.
- Diorite forms when magma cools slowly beneath the Earth's surface.