basalt English · revision 473

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|basaltēs]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) a manuscript misreading of Latin [[m|la|basanītēs]] “a very hard stone, touchstone”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) [[der|grc|βασανίτης|tr=basanítēs]], from [[m|grc|βάσανος|tr=básanos]] “touchstone; test”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) of Egyptian origin, from a word for “slate”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) In Pliny's text [[m|la|basaniten]] became [[m|la|basalten]] by mistake.^(Etymonline) The word is not connected with [[salt]].^(Etymonline)