nephrite
noun
- variety of ferro-actinolite - tremolite solid solution series
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈnɛfˌɹaɪt/
noun
Etymology: From Latin lapis nephriticus, via Ancient Greek λίθος (líthos) νεφριτικός (nephritikós), meaning kidney stone, because jade was believed to have cured kidney stones.
- A semi-precious stone, one of the two types of stone commonly referred to as jade (the other being jadeite).
“Occurrences of nephrite are more numerous. China’s most important source throughout its history has been the region of Khotan (Ho-t‘ien) and Yarkand in Central Asia. In more recent times the Chinese have also imported nephrite from the neighbourhood of Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia.”