[min-er-uhl, min-ruhl] Pronunciation Key | 1. | 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. |
| 2. | a substance obtained by mining, as ore. |
| 3. | (loosely) any substance that is neither animal nor vegetable. |
| 4. | minerals, British. mineral water. |
| 5. | 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. |
| 6. | of the nature of a mineral; pertaining to a mineral or minerals. |
| 7. | containing or impregnated with a mineral or minerals. |
| 8. | neither animal nor vegetable; inorganic: mineral matter. |
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
| 1. | mineralogical. |
| 2. | mineralogy. |
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
| min·er·al
(mĭn'ər-əl) Pronunciation Key
n.
adj.
[Middle English, from Medieval Latin minerāle, from neuter of minerālis, pertaining to mines, from Old French miniere, mine, from mine; see mine1.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
mineral
| mineral | |
adjective | |
| 1. | relating to minerals; "mineral elements"; "mineral deposits" |
| 2. | composed of matter other than plant or animal; "the inorganic mineral world" |
noun | |
| 1. | solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition |
mineral
(mĭn'ər-əl) Pronunciation Key
|
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
mineral
In geology, a naturally occurring inorganic substance (see inorganic molecules) with a definite chemical composition and a regular internal structure.
Note: Most minerals are crystals, like salt and diamonds.
Note: Rocks are aggregates of minerals.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
mineral min·er·al (mĭn'ər-əl)
n.
- A naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic solid substance having a definite chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure, color, and hardness.
- An inorganic element, such as calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, or zinc, that is essential to the nutrition of humans, animals, and plants.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Mineral Bluff, GA (town, FIPS 51744) Location: 34.91577 N, 84.27693 W
Population (1990): 153 (75 housing units)
Area: 2.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 30559
Mineral Wells, TX (city, FIPS 48684) Location: 32.82033 N, 98.07831 W
Population (1990): 14870 (6256 housing units)
Area: 52.7 sq km (land), 1.9 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 76067
Mineral Springs, AR (city, FIPS 46040) Location: 33.87765 N, 93.91996 W
Population (1990): 1004 (431 housing units)
Area: 5.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 71851
Mineral Ridge, OH (CDP, FIPS 50778) Location: 41.13908 N, 80.76726 W
Population (1990): 3928 (1365 housing units)
Area: 8.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 44440
Mineral Point, WI (city, FIPS 53100) Location: 42.86193 N, 90.18308 W
Population (1990): 2428 (1049 housing units)
Area: 7.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 53565
Mineral Point, PA Zip code(s): 15942
Mineral Point, MO (town, FIPS 48710) Location: 37.94513 N, 90.72436 W
Population (1990): 384 (157 housing units)
Area: 0.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 63660
Mineral Hills, MI (village, FIPS 54580) Location: 46.11225 N, 88.64467 W
Population (1990): 200 (90 housing units)
Area: 3.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Mineral County, WV (county, FIPS 57) Location: 39.41522 N, 78.94162 W
Population (1990): 26697 (10930 housing units)
Area: 848.9 sq km (land), 3.6 sq km (water)
Mineral County, NV (county, FIPS 21) Location: 38.54189 N, 118.42792 W
Population (1990): 6475 (2994 housing units)
Area: 9729.6 sq km (land), 146.5 sq km (water)
Mineral County, MT (county, FIPS 61) Location: 47.14525 N, 114.98076 W
Population (1990): 3315 (1635 housing units)
Area: 3159.5 sq km (land), 9.2 sq km (water)
Mineral County, CO (county, FIPS 79) Location: 37.69266 N, 106.92688 W
Population (1990): 558 (1201 housing units)
Area: 2268.4 sq km (land), 5.1 sq km (water)
Mineral City, OH (village, FIPS 50764) Location: 40.60236 N, 81.36149 W
Population (1990): 725 (282 housing units)
Area: 2.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Warm Mineral Springs, FL (CDP, FIPS 75175) Location: 27.04853 N, 82.27032 W
Population (1990): 4041 (3200 housing units)
Area: 7.0 sq km (land), 0.4 sq km (water)
Mineral, WA Zip code(s): 98355
Mineral, VA (town, FIPS 52120) Location: 38.00727 N, 77.90659 W
Population (1990): 471 (202 housing units)
Area: 2.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 23117
Mineral, IL (village, FIPS 49516) Location: 41.38189 N, 89.83647 W
Population (1990): 250 (106 housing units)
Area: 0.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 61344
Mineral, CA Zip code(s): 96063
West Mineral, KS (city, FIPS 77150) Location: 37.28335 N, 94.92701 W
Population (1990): 226 (117 housing units)
Area: 0.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
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).
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.
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