Adjacent Words

Mineral definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MIN'ERAL, n. [Low L. minera, a matrix or vein of metals, whence mineralia; all from mine.]
A body destitute of organization, and which naturally exists within the earth or at its surface.
Minerals were formerly divided into salts, earths, inflammables and ores; a division which serves for a general distribution, but a more scientific arrangement into classes, orders, genera, species, subspecies and varieties, has been adopted to meet the more precise views of modern mineralogists.
MIN'ERAL, a. Pertaining to minerals; consisting of fossil substances; as the mineral kingdom.
1. Impregnated with minerals or fossil matter; as mineral waters; a mineral spring.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: relating to minerals; "mineral elements"; "mineral deposits"
2: composed of matter other than plant or animal; "the inorganic mineral world" n
1: solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin minerale, from neuter of mineralis Date: 15th century 1. ore 2. an inorganic substance (as in the ash of calcined tissue) 3. obsolete mine 4. something neither animal nor vegetable 5. a. a solid homogeneous crystalline chemical element or compound that results from the inorganic processes of nature; broadly any of various naturally occurring homogeneous substances (as stone, coal, salt, sulfur, sand, petroleum, water, or natural gas) obtained usually from the ground b. a synthetic substance having the chemical composition and crystalline form and properties of a naturally occurring mineral 6. plural, British mineral water II. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin mineralis, from minera mine, ore, from Old French minere, miniere, from mine Date: 15th century 1. of or relating to minerals; also inorganic 2. impregnated with mineral substances

Britannica Concise

Any naturally occurring homogeneous solid that has a definite (but not fixed) chemical composition and a distinctive internal crystal structure. Minerals are usually formed by inorganic processes. Synthetic equivalents of various minerals, such as emeralds and diamonds, are manufactured for commercial purposes. Although most minerals are chemical compounds, a small number (e.g., sulfur, copper, gold) are elements. Minerals combine with each other to form rocks. For example, granite consists of the minerals feldspar, quartz, mica, and amphibole in varying amounts. Rocks are generally, therefore, an intergrowth of various minerals.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & adj. --n. 1 any of the species into which inorganic substances are classified. 2 a substance obtained by mining. 3 (often in pl.) Brit. an artificial mineral water or other effervescent drink. --adj. 1 of or containing a mineral or minerals. 2 obtained by mining. Phrases and idioms: mineral oil petroleum or one of its distillation products. mineral water 1 water found in nature with some dissolved salts present. 2 an artificial imitation of this, esp. soda water. 3 any effervescent non-alcoholic drink. mineral wax a fossil resin, esp. ozocerite. mineral wool a wool-like substance made from inorganic material, used for packing etc. Etymology: ME f. OF mineral or med.L mineralis f. minera ore f. OF miniere mine

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Mineral Min"er*al, n. [F. min['e]ral, LL. minerale, fr. minera mine. See Mine, v. i.] 1. An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature, having a definite chemical composition and usually a distinct crystalline form. Rocks, except certain glassy igneous forms, are either simple minerals or aggregates of minerals. 2. A mine. [Obs.] --Shak. 3. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Mineral Min"er*al, a. 1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance. 2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters. Mineral acids (Chem.), inorganic acids, as sulphuric, nitric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, acids, etc., as distinguished from the organic acids. Mineral blue, the name usually given to azurite, when reduced to an impalpable powder for coloring purposes. Mineral candle, a candle made of paraffine. Mineral caoutchouc, an elastic mineral pitch, a variety of bitumen, resembling caoutchouc in elasticity and softness. See Caoutchouc, and Elaterite. Mineral chameleon (Chem.) See Chameleon mineral, under Chameleon. Mineral charcoal. See under Charcoal. Mineral cotton. See Mineral wool (below). Mineral green, a green carbonate of copper; malachite. Mineral kingdom (Nat. Sci.), that one of the three grand divisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects, as distinguished from plants or animals. Mineral oil. See Naphtha, and Petroleum. Mineral paint, a pigment made chiefly of some natural mineral substance, as red or yellow iron ocher. Mineral patch. See Bitumen, and Asphalt. Mineral right, the right of taking minerals from land. Mineral salt (Chem.), a salt of a mineral acid. Mineral tallow, a familiar name for hatchettite, from its fatty or spermaceti-like appearance. Mineral water. See under Water. Mineral wax. See Ozocerite. Mineral wool, a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing a powerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is a poor conductor of heat.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(minerals) A mineral is a substance such as tin, salt, or sulphur that is formed naturally in rocks and in the earth. Minerals are also found in small quantities in food and drink. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Inorganic body.

Moby Thesaurus

alabaster, alabastrine, amphibole, antimony, apatite, aplite, arsenic, asbestine, asbestos, asphalt, azurite, bauxite, bitumen, boron, brimstone, bromine, brucite, calcite, carbon, celestite, chalcedony, chlorite, chromite, clay, coal, coke, corundum, cryolite, diatomite, emery, epidote, epsomite, feldspar, garnet, gel mineral, glauconite, graphite, graphitic, gypsum, hatchettine, holosiderite, inorganic, inorganic substance, iron pyrites, jet, kyanite, lignite, lime, magnesite, malachite, maltha, marcasite, marl, meerschaum, metamict substance, mica, micaceous, mineral coal, mineral kingdom, mineral oil, mineral resources, mineral salt, mineral tallow, mineral tar, mineral wax, mineral world, mineral-bearing material, mineraloid, molybdenite, monazite, nonbiological, nonorganic, obsidian, olivine, ore, ozokerite, peat, perlite, petrified, phosphate rock, phosphorus, pumice, pyrite, pyrites, pyroxene, quartz, realgar, red clay, rhodonite, rock crystal, rocks, salt, selenite, selenium, siderite, silica, silicate, silicic, silicon, spar, spinel, spodumene, sulfur, sulfuric, sulfurous, talc, talcum, tellurium, unorganic, unorganized, untreated mineral, wollastonite, wulfenite, zeolite