xenolithic 

Xenolithic adj. Geological descriptive terminology of a foreign, rocky material that has fallen into, or become embedded into, magma before it solidifies. Much later, when seen in microscopes or visible ground exposures, the appearance is strikingly distinctive; often of a different color or texture when compared to the surrounding material. Thus,xeno meaning strange or foreign or alien, and lithic, meaning rock or rock-like substance, was combined to describe these aberrations.

The word xenolithic is now used as an adjective or adverb to describe a substance or article or situation or action that is strikingly out of place or extremely unexpected based upon common experience and expectations.

Charlie's funeral was strange indeed. But it wasn't the ministers from different faiths chanting in their native tongues, or the multiple mistresses that openly wept above his closed coffin that caused me pause, no, it was the xenolithic sight of the fully costumed clown, in the corner with the widow, making balloon animals for her little girl.

xenolithic by Nyhee7 May 20, 2009