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.
a substance obtained by mining, as ore.
(loosely) any substance that is neither animal nor vegetable.
British. minerals, mineral water.
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.
of the nature of a mineral; pertaining to a mineral or minerals.
containing or impregnated with a mineral or minerals.
neither animal nor vegetable; inorganic.
mineral matter.
mineralogical.
mineralogy.
any of a class of naturally occurring solid inorganic substances with a characteristic crystalline form and a homogeneous chemical composition
any inorganic matter
any substance obtained by mining, esp a metal ore
(often plural) short for mineral water
Usual US word: soda. a soft drink containing carbonated water and flavourings
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.
A natural substance of commercial value, such as iron ore, coal, or petroleum, that is obtained by mining, quarrying, or drilling.
Rocks are aggregates of minerals.
Most minerals are crystals, like salt and diamonds.
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
A mineral is a nonliving natural substance of a definite chemical composition. A mineral like manganese may help keep you healthy; a mineral like a diamond may help keep you sparkly. At one time mineral referred to valuable substances obtained in mines. Although that still can be the case, today the word has several senses (both noun and adjective) and may be found almost anywhere — in the ground, in the air, or on the periodic table. And if you remember mineral when you remember animal and vegetable, you’ve got a better chance of winning Twenty Questions.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In addition, the team found that each of the three moons has the same hydrated mineral that the team has not been able to identify.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Their population of about 20,000 Russian citizens lives in a harsh climate, but the islands have mineral deposits including gold and silver, and rich fishing grounds.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
His son Ivan said moving ahead with the mine honors agreements made by their forefathers who fought to secure mineral rights here.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Subtle and savory, with pretty aromas of rose and fennel, a silky mineral mouth feel and flavors including ripe red cherry, wild strawberry and a hint of fresh herbs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
"Get some more ice and mineral water, Myrtle, before everybody goes to sleep."
From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
“And you know what an animal is — it’s not a vegetable or a mineral. It’s a body, and you know what I’m talking about.”
From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2023
Until 2024, Donald Swartz was the chief executive of American Rare Earths, which plans to mine the critical minerals in Wyoming.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Another possibility is that it was heated later, destroying clay minerals that had once been present.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Mining executive Tony Sage faced an unusual problem on a call with investors: One investor accused Sage of not knowing where his company’s deposit of rare minerals was located.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Uranium, a radioactive heavy metal, is typically locked inside minerals in soil.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
It was so full of minerals that rough, chalky encrustations had built up along the edges, like a coral reef.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
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.
