willemite

[ wil-uh-mahyt ]
/ ˈwɪl əˌmaɪt /

noun

a mineral, a zinc silicate, Zn2SiO4, sometimes containing manganese, occurring in prismatic crystals or granular masses, usually greenish, sometimes white, brown, or red: a minor ore of zinc.

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Origin of willemite

1835–45; named after King Willem I; see -ite1

Words nearby willemite

willaert, willamette, willard, willed, willem i, willemite, willemstad, willendorf, willesden, willet, willey
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for willemite

  • In the New Jersey mines the zinc ores are the oxides zincite and willemite, and the zinc-iron oxide franklinite.

    The A B C of Mining|Charles A. Bramble

British Dictionary definitions for willemite

willemite
/ (ˈwɪləˌmaɪt) /

noun

a secondary mineral consisting of zinc silicate in hexagonal crystalline form. It is white, colourless, or coloured by impurities and is found in veins of zinc ore. Formula: Zn 2 SiO 4

Word Origin for willemite

C19: from Dutch willemit, named after Willem I of the Netherlands (1772–1843)
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