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Entry 5 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Mineral

/mĭn'-ẽr-əl/ · Min·er·al · IPA /ˈmɪn.ɚ.əl/
01 n. An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature, having a definite chemical composition and usually a distinct crystalline form. Roc…
  1. 1.
    An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature, having a definite chemical composition and usually a distinct crystalline form. Rocks, except certain glassy igneous forms, are either simple minerals or aggregates of minerals.
  2. 2.
    A mine.[Obs.]
  3. 3.
    Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral).
02 a. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance.
  1. 1.
    Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance.
  2. 2.
    Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters.
Phrases & compounds
Mineral acids — inorganic acids, as sulphuric, nitric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, acids, etc., as distinguished from the organic acids.
Mineral blue — the name usually given to azurite, when reduced to an impalpable powder for coloring purposes.
Mineral candle — a candle made of paraffin.
Mineral caoutchouc — an elastic mineral pitch, a variety of bitumen, resembling caoutchouc in elasticity and softness. See Caoutchouc, and Elaterite.
Mineral chameleon — See Chameleon mineral, under Chameleon.
Mineral charcoal — See under Charcoal.
Mineral cotton — See Mineral wool (below).
Mineral green — a green carbonate of copper; malachite.
Mineral kingdom — that one of the three grand divisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects, as distinguished from plants or animals.
Mineral oil — See Naphtha, and Petroleum.
Mineral paint — a pigment made chiefly of some natural mineral substance, as red or yellow iron ocher.
Mineral patch — See Bitumen, and Asphalt.
Mineral right — the right of taking minerals from land.
Mineral salt — a salt of a mineral acid.
Mineral tallow — a familiar name for hatchettite, from its fatty or spermaceti-like appearance.
Mineral water — See under Water.
Mineral wax — See Ozocerite.
Mineral wool — a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing a powerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is a poor conductor of heat.