kaolinite

American

[key-uh-luh-nahyt] / ˈkeɪ ə ləˌnaɪt /

noun

a very common mineral, hydrated aluminum disilicate, Al 2 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 , formed by the alteration of other minerals, especially feldspar: the most common constituent of kaolin.

kaolinite British

/ ˈkeɪəlɪˌnaɪt /

noun

a white or grey clay mineral consisting of hydrated aluminium silicate in triclinic crystalline form, the main constituent of kaolin. Formula: Al 2 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

kaolinite Scientific

/ kā′ə-lĭ-nīt′ /

A soft, white triclinic mineral occurring in friable masses. Kaolinite forms as the result of the hydrothermal alteration or weathering of feldspar. It is used in the ceramic industry. Chemical formula : Al ₂ Si ₂ O ₅ (OH) ₄ .

Etymology

Origin of kaolinite

First recorded in 1865–70; kaolin + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

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Kaolinite and similar rocks on Mars act as geological records, preserving information about environmental conditions from billions of years ago.

From Science Daily • Jan. 27, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023