mineral
1 Americannoun
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any of a class of substances occurring in nature, usually comprising inorganic substances, as quartz or feldspar, of definite chemical composition and usually of definite crystal structure, but sometimes also including rocks formed by these substances as well as certain natural products of organic origin, as asphalt or coal.
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a substance obtained by mining, as ore.
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(loosely) any substance that is neither animal nor vegetable.
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British. minerals, mineral water.
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Nutrition. any of the inorganic elements, as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, or sodium, that are essential to the functioning of the human body and are obtained from foods.
adjective
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of the nature of a mineral; pertaining to a mineral or minerals.
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containing or impregnated with a mineral or minerals.
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neither animal nor vegetable; inorganic.
mineral matter.
abbreviation
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mineralogical.
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mineralogy.
abbreviation
noun
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any of a class of naturally occurring solid inorganic substances with a characteristic crystalline form and a homogeneous chemical composition
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any inorganic matter
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any substance obtained by mining, esp a metal ore
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(often plural) short for mineral water
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Usual US word: soda. a soft drink containing carbonated water and flavourings
adjective
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A naturally occurring, solid, inorganic element or compound having a uniform composition and a regularly repeating internal structure. Minerals typically have a characteristic hardness and color, or range of colors, by which they can be recognized. Rocks are made up of minerals.
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A natural substance of commercial value, such as iron ore, coal, or petroleum, that is obtained by mining, quarrying, or drilling.
Discover More
Rocks are aggregates of minerals.
Most minerals are crystals, like salt and diamonds.
Other Word Forms
- nonmineral noun
- semimineral adjective
Etymology
Origin of mineral
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, Old French mineral, from Medieval Latin minerāle (noun), minerālis (adjective), from miner(a) “mine, ore,” (from Vulgar Latin mināria (unrecorded); equivalent to mine 2 + -ary ) + -āle, -ālis -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
DoubleWood, or whatever name the company will announce later this quarter, also stands to make money from real estate development and deals for solar, carbon storage, and minerals.
From Barron's
A journey into the wilderness of 18th-century Canada starts with a tantalizing mineral sample brought back to an English outpost.
Major exports from the South American grouping to the EU include agricultural products and minerals, while the 27-country bloc would export machinery, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals with smaller levies.
From Barron's
The producer of rare earth minerals on Thursday posted a fourth-quarter profit of $9.4 million, or 5 cents a share, compared with a loss of $22.3 million, or 14 cents a share, a year earlier.
Along with production and pricing, investors will be looking for industry updates from the company, which has emerged as a key domestic supplier of critical minerals.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
