galena
[ guh-lee-nuh ]
/ gəˈli nə /
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noun
a common, heavy mineral, lead sulfide, PbS, occurring in lead-gray crystals, usually cubes, and cleavable masses: the principal ore of lead.
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Also called ga·le·nite [guh-lee-nahyt]. /gəˈli naɪt/.
Origin of galena
1595–1605; <Latin: lead ore
Words nearby galena
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for galena
British Dictionary definitions for galena
galena
galenite (ɡəˈliːnaɪt)
/ (ɡəˈliːnə) /
noun
a grey mineral, found in hydrothermal veins. It is the chief source of lead. Composition: lead sulphide. Formula: PbS. Crystal structure: cubic
Word Origin for galena
C17: from Latin: lead ore, dross left after melting lead
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for galena
galena
[ gə-lē′nə ]
A gray, metallic mineral occurring in cube-shaped crystals within veins of igneous rock or in sedimentary rocks. It is the main ore of lead. Chemical formula: PbS.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.