Orthoclase

Origin

- + Ancient Greek κλαστός (klastos, "broken")

Full definition of orthoclase

Noun

1. (mineralogy) Potassium aluminum silicate, KAlSi₃O₈, a common feldspar of igneous, plutonic, and metamorphic rocks. Orthoclase is the main feldspar of pegmatite occurrences, where it is most commonly flesh-colored. Orthoclase is used in the ceramic and glass industries and as a decorative gravel.