[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pyrite.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / pyrite

[← P](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/P/)

# pyrite

«pyrite» in Mova's school dictionary: **A shiny, pale gold-coloured mineral made of iron and…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

noun (pyrite — uncountable; a pyrite crystal)

### meaning for a pupil

A shiny, pale gold-coloured mineral made of iron and sulphur, often called fool's gold because people mistook it for real gold. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pyrite/#m1)

### sense in the lessons

In science lessons about rocks and minerals, pyrite shows that looks can trick you: it is harder and more brittle than gold, and it often forms cubes. In history, gold rush miners were fooled by it. Phrases: fool's gold, iron pyrite.

### examples

- Pyrite is called fool's gold. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pyrite/#x1)
- The miner shouted with joy, but it was only pyrite. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pyrite/#x2)
- Pyrite often grows in little cubes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pyrite/#x3)
- Real gold is soft, but pyrite is hard and brittle. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pyrite/#x4)
- Pyrite makes sparks if you strike it with steel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pyrite/#x5)
- We found a shiny pyrite crystal at the rock shop. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pyrite/#x6)

### note

Uncountable as a mineral. Also called iron pyrites. Test: rubbed on rough tile, pyrite leaves a greenish-black streak, while gold leaves a gold streak.

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «pyrite» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pyrite/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.