zircon
[ zur-kon ]
/ ˈzɜr kɒn /
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noun
a common mineral, zirconium silicate, ZrSiO4, occurring in small tetragonal crystals or grains of various colors, usually opaque: used as a refractory when opaque and as a gem when transparent.
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Origin of zircon
1785–95; <German Zirkon;see jargon2
Words nearby zircon
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for zircon
zircon
/ (ˈzɜːkɒn) /
noun
a reddish-brown, grey, green, blue, or colourless hard mineral consisting of zirconium silicate in tetragonal crystalline form with hafnium and some rare earths as impurities. It occurs principally in igneous rocks and is an important source of zirconium, zirconia, and hafnia: it is used as a gemstone and a refractory. Formula: ZrSiO 4
Word Origin for zircon
C18: from German Zirkon, from French jargon, via Italian and Arabic, from Persian zargūn golden
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Scientific definitions for zircon
zircon
[ zûr′kŏn′ ]
A brown, reddish to bluish, gray, green, or colorless tetragonal mineral that occurs in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, and especially in sand. The colorless varieties are valued as gems. Chemical formula: ZrSiO4.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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