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• 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

minerals plural

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.

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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.

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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

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adjective

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

mineral. ² British  

abbreviation

1. mineralogy or mineralogical

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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.

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mineral Cultural  

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

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Discover More

Rocks are aggregates of minerals.

Most minerals are crystals, like salt and diamonds.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonmineral
  noun
• semimineral
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• minerals
  plural

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

See Examples For:

mineral mineral. minerals

By measuring the chemistry of rivers draining the mines, they quantified the extent of acid mine drainage and how much of the water was neutralized through mineral reactions that produce carbon dioxide.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

The NPP politician was found guilty of "assigning mineral rights without approval" and "facilitating an unlicensed mining operation" through his company, Akonta Mining.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

The project also would need 6,500 acre-feet of fresh water annually for washing the mineral and cooling.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Imagine playing the game "20 Questions" with the opening question: "Animal, vegetable, or mineral?"

From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026

Trekking the dried floor of a mineral sea where it lay cracked and broken like a fallen plate.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

“And you know what an animal is — it’s not a vegetable or a mineral. It’s a body, and you know what I’m talking about.”

From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2023

Rubio intends to raise the issue of US economic commitment to energy infrastructure, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence during these meetings, he said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

The minerals dried up, leaving the country once named Pleasant Island looking ragged, with large parts of its central areas uninhabitable and extremely challenging to farm.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Energy, potash, fish and critical minerals are exempt from the new levies.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

The U.S. is outspending Europe in securing critical minerals outside China, raising fears that Europe will remain dependent on Chinese supplies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Herds of elephants go inside Kitum Cave at night to obtain minerals and salts.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

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