mineralize

American  

[min-er-uh-lahyz, min-ruh-] / ˈmɪn ər əˌlaɪz, ˈmɪn rə- /

especially British, mineralise

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.

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verb (used without object)

mineralized, mineralizing

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

mineralize British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of mineralize

First recorded in 1645–55; mineral + -ize

Example Sentences

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

From Science Daily

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

From Science Daily

Notably, the structure of the mineralized plates in the body vertebrae promotes greater stability in the shark’s trunk, akin to struts supporting a bridge.

From New York Times

Researchers found that the mineralized microarchitecture in thresher shark vertebrae changes in the front and the back of the body, and these anatomical modifications may support their unique tail-whipping behavior.

From Science Daily

Many organisms can produce minerals or mineralized tissue.

From Science Daily