min·er·al

[min-er-uhl, min-ruhl]
noun
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.
adjective
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.
00:10
Minerals is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French, Old French mineral < Medieval Latin minerāle (noun), minerālis (adj.), equivalent to miner(a) mine, ore (< Old French miniere < Vulgar Latin *mināria; min- (see mine2) + Latin -āria -ary) + -āle, -ālis -al1

Related forms
non·min·er·al, noun, adjective
sem·i·min·er·al, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To minerals
Collins
World English Dictionary
mineral (ˈmɪnərəl, ˈmɪnrəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  any of a class of naturally occurring solid inorganic substances with a characteristic crystalline form and a homogeneous chemical composition
2.  any inorganic matter
3.  any substance obtained by mining, esp a metal ore
4.  (Brit) (often plural) short for mineral water
5.  (Brit) Usual US word: soda a soft drink containing carbonated water and flavourings
 
—adj
6.  of, relating to, containing, or resembling minerals
 
[C15: from Medieval Latin minerāle (n), from minerālis (adj); related to minera mine, ore, of uncertain origin]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

mineral
late 14c., "substance obtained by mining," from M.L. minerale "something mined," from neut. of mineralis "pertaining to mines," from minera "mine." Meaning "material substance that is neither animal nor vegetable" is first recorded c.1600. Modern scientific sense is from 1813. Mineral water is from 1560s,
originally water found in nature with some mineral substance dissolved in it.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

mineral min·er·al (mĭn'ər-əl)
n.

  1. A naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic solid substance having a definite chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure, color, and hardness.

  2. An inorganic element, such as calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, or zinc, that is essential to the nutrition of humans, animals, and plants.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
mineral   (mĭn'ər-əl)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. 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.

  2. A natural substance of commercial value, such as iron ore, coal, or petroleum, that is obtained by mining, quarrying, or drilling.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

mineral definition


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.

minerals definition


In the diet, certain substances necessary for the maintenance of life and good health. Some are essential components of bodily substances, such as the calcium in bones and the iron in hemoglobin, whereas others help regulate the activities of metabolism. (See under “Earth Sciences.”)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Deep in the oceans, hydrothermal vents spew superheated water full of dissolved
  minerals.
Nobody is exploiting minerals or any other prohibited action.
But it lacks the money to explore and exploit its minerals by itself.
Apparently, the giant land snail is also chock-full of vitamins and minerals.
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriHome Advisor
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT