miner

American  

[mahy-ner] / ˈmaɪ nər /

noun

1. Also called mineworker.  a person who works in a mine, especially a commercial mine producing coal or metallic ores.

   His ancestors were slate miners in Wales who emigrated to the United States.

2. a mechanical device used in mining.

   She made her money by developing a miner for extracting ores from the ocean floor.

3. any of several Australian birds of the genus Manorina, feeding on honey and typically having a loud call.

4. Entomology. any of various insect larvae that create tunnels in the parenchyma of leaves.

5. Digital Technology.

   1. a computer or network of computers engaged in solving sets of mathematical problems that are used to verify cryptocurrency transactions and that, when solved, yield a unit of the currency.

   2. a software application that is designed to run this process.

   3. a person or company that engages in this process.

6. (formerly) a person who places or lays explosive mines.

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miner British  

/ ˈmaɪnə /

noun

1. a person who works in a mine

2. Also called: continuous miner.  a large machine for the automatic extraction of minerals, esp coal, from a mine

3. any of various insects or insect larvae that bore into and feed on plant tissues See also leaf miner

4. any of several honey-eaters of the genus Manorina, esp M. melanocephala (noisy miner), of scrub regions See noisy miner

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Etymology

Origin of miner

First recorded in 1225–75; mine ² + -er ¹; replacing Middle English minour, from Anglo-French ( -or ² )

Example Sentences

JPMorgan’s analyst Dominic O’Kane sees the prospects for global miners adjusting along commodity lines with copper assets in demand and trading on much higher valuations than coal and iron ore.

From MarketWatch

The two miners said Thursday that they had ended talks on a tie-up, citing disagreements over key details.

From The Wall Street Journal

It has retained its majority shareholding in South African miner Kumba Iron Ore, as well as an interest in a local manganese business and its sprawling wine farm, Vergelegen, outside of Cape Town.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The outcome reinforces a high bar for large-scale copper M&A across the diversified miners,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Kaan Peker wrote in a note to clients after talks ended.

From The Wall Street Journal

Emphasising moves by mining giants to consolidate, Australian resources giant BHP last year ended a renewed attempt to buy British rival Anglo American -- a deal that would have created the world's largest miner of copper.

From Barron's

Related Words

• prospector