APH'RITE, noun [Gr. froth; the schaum erde, or earth scum, of Werner; the silvery chalk of Kirwan.] A subvariety of carbonate of lime, occurring in small masses, solid or tender and friable. It is composed of lamels or scales, of a pearly luster. It is connected by insensible shades with argentine.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI