mineral

[ min-er-uh l, min-ruh l ]

/ ˈmɪn ər əl, ˈmɪn rəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mineral ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

a substance obtained by mining, as ore.

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

minerals, British. mineral water.

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

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

containing or impregnated with a mineral or minerals.

neither animal nor vegetable; inorganic: mineral matter.

Nearby words

miner's dial, miner's inch, miner's lettuce, miner's lung, miner's right, mineral, mineral charcoal, mineral jelly, mineral kingdom, mineral oil, mineral pitch

Origin of mineral

1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French, Old French mineral < Medieval Latin minerāle (noun), minerālis (adj.), equivalent to miner(a) mine, ore (< Old French miniere < Vulgar Latin *mināria; min- (see mine²) + Latin -āria -ary) + -āle, -ālis -al¹

Related forms

non·min·er·al, noun, adjectivesem·i·min·er·al, adjective

Definition for mineral (2 of 2)

mineral.

mineralogical.

mineralogy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mineral

Depending on the producer, Champagne can also be highly cloyingly sweet, buttery, or round, or mineral.
Champagne: You’re Drinking It All Wrong|Kayleigh Kulp|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One more word about the mineral water industry in Marlin, Texas, and I was about to scream.
Slaves In A Family's Past Haunt The Present|Michael Signer|August 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He enters a back room, sits at a round café table and sips from a bottle of mineral water.
The Stacks: The Neville Brothers Stake Their Claim as Bards of the Bayou|John Ed Bradley|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mining and Mineral Engineering: 90% male And here are the 10 least remunerative majors—where women prevail in nine out of ten: 1.
No, Women Don’t Make Less Money Than Men|Christina Hoff Sommers|February 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST

So far, it is science, not mineral stakes that motivates geologists like Ventura.
Atlantis Discovered?|Mac Margolis|May 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Vegetables obtain their nourishment from mineral substances, which they reduce, de-oxydize, and charge with solar energy.
The Mechanism of Life|Stphane Leduc
But the mineral belt which I have described contains other classes of mines.
The Crest of the Continent|Ernest Ingersoll
They are finally oiled lightly with a mixture of linseed and mineral oils.
Animal Proteins|Hugh Garner Bennett
Mineral additions for increasing weight or bulk: (a) Magnetic matter.
Cooley's Practical Receipts, Volume II|Arnold Cooley
Another great advantage of vegetables is, that they are rich in mineral salts necessary for the health of the body.
Popular Books on Natural Science|Aaron David Bernstein

British Dictionary definitions for mineral (1 of 2)

mineral

/ (ˈmɪnərəl, ˈmɪnrəl) /

noun

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

any inorganic matter

any substance obtained by mining, esp a metal ore

(often plural) British short for mineral water

British a soft drink containing carbonated water and flavouringsUsual US word: soda

adjective

of, relating to, containing, or resembling minerals

Word Origin for mineral

C15: from Medieval Latin minerāle (n), from minerālis (adj); related to minera mine, ore, of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for mineral (2 of 2)

mineral.

abbreviation for

mineralogy or mineralogical

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

Medicine definitions for mineral

mineral

[ mĭn′ər-əl ]

n.

A naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic solid substance having a definite chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure, color, and hardness.

An inorganic element, such as calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, or zinc, that is essential to the nutrition of humans, animals, and plants.

Science definitions for mineral

mineral

[ mĭn′ər-əl ]

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.

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

Culture definitions for mineral

mineral

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

Note

Most minerals are crystals, like salt and diamonds.

Note

Rocks are aggregates of minerals.