mineralize

especially British, min·er·al·ise

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

verb (used with object)

mineralized, mineralizing 

1. to convert into a mineral substance.

2. to transform (a metal) into an ore.

3. to impregnate or supply with mineral substances.

verb (used without object)

mineralized, mineralizing 

1. to study or collect the minerals of a region.

mineralize

/ ˈmɪnərəˌlaɪz, ˈmɪnrə- /

verb

1. 1. to impregnate (organic matter, water, etc) with a mineral substance

   2. to convert (such matter) into a mineral; petrify

2. (of gases, vapours, etc, in magma) to transform (a metal) into an ore

Other Word Forms

• mineralization noun
• mineralizer noun
• remineralization noun
• remineralize verb
• remineralizer noun
• semimineralized adjective
• undermineralization noun
• unmineralized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mineralize¹

First recorded in 1645–55; mineral + -ize

Example Sentences

Five vertebrae have been recovered, each partly mineralized, which helped preserve them.

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Keratin creates a dense, mineralized barrier over the tooth's surface, blocking the nerve channels responsible for sensitivity.

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The team examined mineralized structures within the sharks’ cartilage skeletons.

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Results of the study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, suggest thresher shark vertebral anatomy and mineralized microstructure meet the demands required for fast swimming and tail-whipping behavior seen in these species.

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Many organisms can produce minerals or mineralized tissue.

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