Jump to:

• mineral
  mineral

  noun

  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.
• mineral.
  mineral.

  abbreviation

  mineralogical.

mineral

¹ American  

[min-er-uhl, min-ruhl] / ˈmɪn ər əl, ˈmɪn rəl /

noun

1. 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.

2. a substance obtained by mining, as ore.

3. (loosely) any substance that is neither animal nor vegetable.

4. British. minerals, mineral water.

5. 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.

---

adjective

1. of the nature of a mineral; pertaining to a mineral or minerals.

2. containing or impregnated with a mineral or minerals.

3. neither animal nor vegetable; inorganic.

   mineral matter.

mineral. ² American  

abbreviation

1. mineralogical.

2. mineralogy.

---

mineral ¹ British  

/ ˈmɪnərəl, ˈmɪnrəl /

noun

1. any of a class of naturally occurring solid inorganic substances with a characteristic crystalline form and a homogeneous chemical composition

2. any inorganic matter

3. any substance obtained by mining, esp a metal ore

4. (often plural) short for mineral water

5. Usual US word: soda.  a soft drink containing carbonated water and flavourings

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, containing, or resembling minerals

mineral. ² British  

abbreviation

1. mineralogy or mineralogical

---

mineral Scientific  

/ mĭn′ər-əl /

1. 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.

2. A natural substance of commercial value, such as iron ore, coal, or petroleum, that is obtained by mining, quarrying, or drilling.

---

mineral Cultural  

1. In geology, a naturally occurring inorganic substance (see inorganic molecules) with a definite chemical composition and a regular internal structure.

---

Discover More

Rocks are aggregates of minerals.

Most minerals are crystals, like salt and diamonds.

Other Word Forms

• nonmineral
  noun
• semimineral
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of mineral

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

The Painted Desert portion of Petrified Forest National Park includes broad vistas and richly varied mineral colors.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Some samples contain more iron or different mineral combinations than others.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

He accused Rwanda of profiting from DR Congo's rich mineral resources and dragging its feet on implementing the agreement signed in Washington in December.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

A US government agency, the Development Finance Corporation, provided a roughly $550-million loan to LAR to upgrade the railway and scale up mineral transport.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

The crystals are made of mineral salts, and they looked evilly sharp.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

• earth
• gravel
• lava
• metal
• rubble
• slab