n.
Pronunciation: ' sfa-l ə - ˌ r ī t
Function: noun
Etymology: German Sphalerit, from Greek sphaleros deceitful, from sphallein to cause to fall; from its often being mistaken for galena ― more at SPILL
Date: circa 1868
: a mineral composed essentially of zinc sulfide that is the most important ore of zinc ― called also zinc blende