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A chondrite is a stony (non-metallic) meteorite that does not show signs of overall melting. They typically include round grains (chondrules) which are interpreted as rapidly melted and cooled aggregates of cosmic dust and assumed to be material formed very early in the life of the solar system. The melting that a chondrite did not experience is any subsequent melting that would smooth away the grains. There is not a consensus on the details the formation of these chondrules, i.e., what caused the required heating and cooling. Theories:
The term achondrite refers to such meteorites that do not include chondrules, generally presumed to have formed at a later time.