Adjacent Words

Spinel definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SPI'NEL, SPINELLE, n. The spinelle ruby, says Hauy; is the true ruby, a gem of a red color, blended with tints of blue or yellow. It is in grains more or less crystalized. A subspecies of octahedral corundum.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a hard glassy mineral consisting of an oxide of magnesium and aluminum; occurs in various colors that are used as gemstones

Merriam Webster's

or spinelle noun Etymology: Italian spinella, diminutive of spina thorn, from Latin Date: 1528 1. a hard crystalline mineral consisting of an oxide of magnesium and aluminum that varies from colorless to ruby red to black and is used as a gem 2. any of a group of minerals that are essentially oxides of magnesium, ferrous iron, zinc, or manganese

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 any of a group of hard crystalline minerals of various colours, consisting chiefly of oxides of magnesium and aluminium. 2 any substance of similar composition or properties. Phrases and idioms: spinel ruby a deep-red variety of spinel used as a gem. Etymology: F spinelle f. It. spinella, dimin. of spina: see SPINE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Spinel Spi*nel", Spinelle Spi*nelle", n. [F. spinelle, or LL. spinellus, perhaps from L. spina a thorn, a prickle, in allusion to its pointed crystals.] (Min.) A mineral occuring in octahedrons of great hardness and various colors, as red, green, blue, brown, and black, the red variety being the gem spinel ruby. It consist essentially of alumina and magnesia, but commonly contains iron and sometimes also chromium. Note: The spinel group includes spinel proper, also magnetite, chromite, franklinite, gahnite, etc., all of which may be regarded as composed of a sesquioxide and a protoxide in equal proportions.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Spinel Spin"el, n. Bleached yarn in making the linen tape called inkle; unwrought inkle. --Knight.