Gneiss

//ˈnaɪs// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock having bands or veins, but not schistose. uncountable, usually

    "The old towns along the route are as solidly built from the gneiss of the region as you might expect."

  2. 2
    a laminated metamorphic rock similar to granite wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
aaabyssal rockbasaltbedrockblock lavabrash

Example

More examples

"The old towns along the route are as solidly built from the gneiss of the region as you might expect."

Etymology

From German Gneis, from Middle High German gneist (“spark”), from Old High German gneisto (“spark”). More at gnast.

Related phrases

calc silicate gneisscalc-gneisscalc-silicate gneissmetamorphic rock

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.