paragenesis: Meaning and Definition of

par•a•gen•e•sis

Pronunciation: (par"u-jen'u-sis), [key]
— n. Geol.
  1. the origin of minerals or mineral deposits in contact so as to affect one another's formation.
  2. the order in which the minerals in a rock or vein have crystallized.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.