kieselguhr

[ kee-zuhl-goor ]

/ ˈki zəlˌgʊər /

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noun

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Origin of kieselguhr

1870–75; <German, equivalent to Kiesel flint + Gu(h)r earthy deposit

Words nearby kieselguhr

Kiepura, kier, Kierkegaard, Kierkegaardian, Kierkegaard, Søren, kieselguhr, kieserite, Kieślowski, Kiev, Kievan, kif

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use kieselguhr in a sentence

Nitroglycerine, when absorbed in a porous earth called 'Kieselguhr', is called dynamite.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia|Various
Kieselguhr, or simply guhr, absorbs twice its weight of nitroglycerine; cork charcoal absorbs nine times its weight.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia|Various
Kieselguhr is a very powerful adsorbent, and only a little will do much good; it is, however, hardly sufficient alone.
Animal Proteins|Hugh Garner Bennett
The best substitute for "kieselguhr" is ashes of bog-head coal.
Torpedoes and Torpedo Warfare|C. W. Sleeman

Generally a small percentage of the kieselguhr is replaced by a mixture containing sodium and ammonium carbonates, talc and ochre.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 9|Various

British Dictionary definitions for kieselguhr

kieselguhr

/ (ˈkiːzəlˌɡʊə) /

noun

an unconsolidated form of diatomite

Word Origin for kieselguhr

C19: from German Kieselgur, from Kiesel flint, pebble + Gur loose earthy deposit

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