Word of the Week (WOW) is a weekly challenge created by Heena Rathore P. It’s a fun way to improve vocabulary by learning new words every week.
To participate, simply do a post with your word and leave the link as a comment on Heena’s WOW post for this week (above link).
I’m up to the letter X this week and this one was a bit of a challenge. There are relatively few words beginning with X, and many of the words that do either refer to something biological, botanical, or chemical, or are names of people or places. I ended up picking a noun that is familiar to me, and I want to attempt a couple of sentences using it in a metaphorical way, or perhaps in a simile.
So, here is my WOW for this week:
Word:
xenolith
Part of Speech:
noun
Related Forms:
xenolithic: adjective
Pronunciation
xen·o·lith (zěn’ə-lĭth’, zē’nə-)
Audio link:
Meaning:
(Geological Sceience) a fragment of rock differing in origin, composition, structure, etc, from the igneous rock enclosing it.
Synonyms:
inclusion
Antonyms:
None
Word Origin:
1894 – 1905; xeno (foreign, strange) + lith (stone)
Use in a Sentence:
1. (Adjective use) The xenolithic nature of the rock gave it an exotic appeal:
2. Against the dull grey of the lava flow, the xenolith of yellow peridotite stood out like the moon in the darkening night sky:
3. The moon was a xenolith in the indigo sky of night:
4. The small girl in the purple dress was like a xenolith in the vast green meadow:
Last two images courtesy of Pixabay.
If you’d like to see more interesting words visit Heena’s page:
Millie Thom 
I especially liked sentence #3: the sentence of a true writer.
Thank you, Betty. I was determined not to write all my sentences about rocks! It’s an odd sort of word, and I’ve never used it apart from in geology. But I think it works well in metaphors and similes. I’m really glad you agree.
Yes. I love your choices of wording! I love to read from a real writer and not from a ‘wannabe.’ I get so tired of that.
What a lovely comment, Betty. Thank you. I hope your own writing is going well. I know you are writing a book. I’m trying to write Book 3 of my series now, but I’m spending far too much time on WP at the moment. I know I’ll have to ease off soon, or this book won’t get written!
Yes, I am having to buckle down and get some work done. But it’s getting exciting!
That’s always good! It makes you feel you’re writing something worthwhile. have fun with it, Betty.
I am! Thanks! Have a great summer!
I confess I didn’t know that one – but I do now! 🙂
Well, I’ve learned something new today! thank you for the post!
Thank you for visiting and liking my post! I’m glad you liked the word… it wasn’t easy picking one that starts with X to discuss and illustrate. (I’m working through the alphabet, you see. It will be Y next week – a little more choice there, I think.) Have a lovley day. Millie. 🙂
Giving a fanatical speech in the desert heat, amid scurrying tumbleweed and an unconvinceable, hard-bitten audience, the xenophobic politician–long-faced, gaunt, dressed in a grey suit and a silk shirt–was dwarfed by sunkissed sheets of xenolithic rock.
Wow Prospero, that’s a great piece. I love that you’ve used the word xenophobic, too. (Why didn’t i think of that one to use for my post? Perhaps the geologist in me just zoomed in on xenolith! Ha!) The ‘sunkissed sheets of xenolithic rock’ is perfect in the desert setting. 🙂
Wow as in amazement or ‘Word of the Week?’
Both. (I’ve taken the liberty of answering for you.)
Thank you, Millie.
Clever you, you picked the right answer. Thank you for the great response to my post, too. 🙂
Hi Millie, I think you got gorgeous pictures. Thanks for sharing these and congrats for your splendid site ❤
I’ve just found this comment, and don’t know how I missed it! Thank you very much – I really appreciate your lovely words. ❤
😉