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.

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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

• 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

He didn’t recall his own prior role in Unity, forming the company, or the purported fraud, which involved inflating the value of flipped mineral acreage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

The company would also be pursuing mineral extraction and oil.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Last Thursday the Senate voted, 50-49, to reverse restrictions on critical mineral mining in Minnesota’s Iron Range.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

The team also proposes a key explanation for the gap: the earliest sponges may not have had mineral skeletons, making them far less likely to fossilize.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

But to keep the mineral trust under tribal control, no one could buy or sell headrights.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

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