Muscovite

[ muhs-kuh-vahyt ]

/ ˈmʌs kəˌvaɪt /

noun

a native or inhabitant of Moscow.

a native or inhabitant of the Grand Duchy of Muscovy.

Also called white mica. (lowercase) Mineralogy. common light-colored mica, essentially KAl3Si3O10(OH)2, used as an electrical insulator.

Archaic. a Russian.

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of Moscow, Muscovy, or the Muscovites.

Origin of Muscovite

First recorded in 1545–55; Muscov(y) + -ite¹

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

Examples from the Web for muscovite

A year ago, she was dating a Muscovite and considering moving there to advance her career as a fashion designer.
Kiev Defiant at Russian Aggression|Vijai Maheshwari|March 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For a young Muscovite girl, for example, with whom you schoolkids have been exchanging letters of friendship.
Ismail Kadare: How I Write|Noah Charney|January 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But the movements of the Muscovite conquerors have none of the torrent rush of those great invasions of the past.
Historic Tales, Vol. 8 (of 15)|Charles Morris
At first Mr. Greville was incredulous at what John told him, and made him acquainted with the form of Muscovite.
The Greville Memoirs|Charles C. F. Greville

The Cossacks of the Muscovite guard looked at each other, not knowing whether to stand in her way or no.
Joan of the Sword Hand|S(amuel) R(utherford) Crockett
Muscovite and Prussian armies traversed (p. 406)the plains of Poland at pleasure, and extorted whatever they pleased.
A Modern History, From the Time of Luther to the Fall of Napoleon|John Lord, A.M.
Yet transparent mica, muscovite, is the source of that household convenience.
Birds and All Nature Vol VII, No. 1, January 1900|Various

British Dictionary definitions for muscovite (1 of 2)

muscovite

/ (ˈmʌskəˌvaɪt) /

noun

a pale brown, or green, or colourless mineral of the mica group, found in plutonic rocks such as granite and in sedimentary rocks. It is used in the manufacture of lubricants, insulators, paints, and Christmas "snow". Composition: potassium aluminium silicate. Formula: KAl 2 (AlSi 3)O 10 (OH) 2 . Crystal structure: monoclinicSee also mica

Word Origin for muscovite

C19: from the phrase Muscovy glass, an early name for mica

British Dictionary definitions for muscovite (2 of 2)

Muscovite

/ (ˈmʌskəˌvaɪt) /

noun

a native or inhabitant of Moscow

adjective

an archaic word for Russian

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

Science definitions for muscovite

muscovite

[ mŭs′kə-vīt′ ]

A usually colorless to yellow or pale-gray mica. Muscovite is a monoclinic mineral and is found in igneous rocks, such as granites and pegmatites, metamorphic rocks, such as schists and gneisses, and in many sedimentary rocks. Chemical formula: KAl2(AlSi3)O10(OH)2.