Muscovite

American  

[muhs-kuh-vahyt] / ˈmʌs kəˌvaɪt /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Moscow.

2. a native or inhabitant of the Grand Duchy of Muscovy.

3. Also called white mica.  (lowercase) common light-colored mica, essentially KAl 3 Si 3 O 1 0 (OH) 2 , used as an electrical insulator.

4. Archaic. a Russian.

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adjective

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

Muscovite ¹ British  

/ ˈmʌskəˌvaɪt /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Moscow

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adjective

1. an archaic word for Russian

muscovite ² British  

/ ˈmʌskəˌvaɪt /

noun

1. 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: monoclinic See also mica

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muscovite Scientific  

/ mŭs′kə-vīt′ /

1. 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: KAl ₂ (AlSi ₃ )O ₁₀ (OH) ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of Muscovite

First recorded in 1545–55; Muscov(y) + -ite ¹