Now rare. [a. G. spath, var. spelling of spat (SPAT sb.3), spad (SPAAD), MHG. and MLG. spat, spåt. Hence also Du. spaath, Da. and Sw. spat; F. spath, It. spato, Sp. and Pg. espato.] = SPAR sb.2

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1763.  W. Lewis, Phil. Comm. Arts, 144. A friable opake stone called white spath, which appears to be a kind of gypsum.

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1794.  R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 73. The crystallization which are found in granite, are almost always of a siliceous substance, quartz: whereas marble has always spath, which is a calcareous one.

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1803.  Med. Jrnl., IX. 494. These layers imitate … closely calcareous spath.

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1886.  Leeds Mercury, 20 Feb., 8/3. The lens coincides with the principal chrystallographic axis of the spath.

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