neptunian

neptunian (not comparable)

1. Alternative letter-case form of Neptunian
   • 1848 April, B[ernhard] Studer, “On Mineral Metamorphism”, in Robert Jameson, editor, The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, Exhibiting a View of the Progressive Discoveries and Improvements in the Sciences and the Arts, volume XLIV, number LXXXVIII, Edinburgh: Adam & Charles Black; London: Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans, →OCLC, page 372:

     In several important cases, it is difficult to determine to what degree the metamorphosis has extended, since it remains uncertain whether the form and structural remains of the neptunian sedimentary formation, or as a product of the metamorphosis itself; for the original form of the neptunian, as well as of the volcanic sedimentary rocks have often become so changed by erosion, and so much alike in both classes of rocks, that this distinctive character is wholly lost; [...]

neptunian (plural neptunians)

1. Alternative letter-case form of Neptunian
   • 1817 April, “Art. IV.—An Elementary Treatise on Mineralogy and Geology, being an Introduction to the Study of Those Sciences, […] By Parker Cleaveland, Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, and Lecturer in Chymistry and Mineralogy in Bowdoin College, &c. &c. Boston, 1816. Large 8vo. pp. 668.”, in The Analectic Magazine, volume IX, Philadelphia, Pa.: Published by Moses Thomas, →OCLC, pages 312–313:

     As to the two theories, neither will suffice alone. The neptunian is utterly inadequate to explain the phenomena of basalt; nor can a vulcanist account for the appearance of an hydrophane.—We need both explanations. Those geologists who have travelled in the north of Europe, are generally neptunians; those who have made their observations in the south of the same regions, are generally vulcanists.

Borrowed from French neptunien. By surface analysis, Neptun +‎ -ian.

neptunian m or n (feminine singular neptuniană, masculine plural neptunieni, feminine and neuter plural neptuniene)

1. Neptunian