graphite

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DNA and RNA) form an organized pattern on the surface of graphite, which is chemically similar to diamond.

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Definitions (12)

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  1. noun A soft, steel-gray to black, hexagonally crystallized allotrope of carbon with a metallic luster and a greasy feel, used in lead pencils, lubricants, paints, and coatings, that is fabricated into a variety of forms such as molds, bricks, electrodes, crucibles, and rocket nozzles. Also called black lead, plumbago.

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Examples (24)

  • The amount of pressure needed and the graphite, which is soft but very resistant to change. —  Iris Johansen - Final Target
  • Consider these miners and those who make their many tools and the makers of the paper sacks in which the graphite is shipped and those who make the string that ties the sacks and those who put them aboard ships and those who make the ships. —  Atlas Shrugs
  • Activities: Young artists will expand their creativity using art materials such as graphite, pastel, collage, watercolor, colored pencil, charcoal, and acrylic; each camp creates an interesting folk art or craft project using silk painting, block printing, polymer clay figures or ceramic painting —  The Bellingham Herald: Sports News
  • Remember that graphite, another type of gray, has been a top seller since Apple started coloring its products with it. —  Low End Mac
  • Unlike conventional solid lubricants similar to those made from compounds such as graphite, molybdenum and tungsten that gradually decompose, break apart, and bind to the metal surface in which they come in contact, the lubricant developed by ApNano called NanoLub reduces friction, wear and temperature significantly better than other solid lubricants, especially at high loads.
 

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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Greek graphein, to write; see gerbh- in Indo-European roots + -ite1.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. = French graphite, so called from its use in making pencils for writing, from Greek γραφή, writing, + -ite.
  2. An erroneously ‘restored’ form, for *graffite, from Italian graffito, plural graffiti: see graffito.
 

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/ˈgræfaɪt/
by American Heritage

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