mineral
Any naturally occurring material that has a (more or less) definite chemical composition and characteristic physical properties; especially, an inorganic and crystalline one.
Other meanings
Any inorganic material (as distinguished from animal or vegetable).
Any inorganic element that is essential to nutrition.
Kinds of mineral
- asphalt
- bauxite
- beryl
- borax
- peacock ore
- cassiterite
- celestite
- white lead ore
Related words
- agromineral
- biomineral
- hydromineral
- macromineral
- micromineral
- minerality
- mineralization
- mineralize
- minerally
- mineralocorticoid
- mineraloid
- mineratrophic
Word history
From Medieval Latin "minerale".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “mineral” on Wiktionary, by its contributors; related-word lists use Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0, based on Princeton WordNet), published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.