mineral

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic solid substance having a definite chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure, color, and hardness.
2. n. Any of various natural substances, as:
3. n. An element, such as gold or silver.
4. n. An organic derivative, such as coal or petroleum.
5. n. A substance, such as stone, sand, salt, or coal, that is extracted or obtained from the ground or water and used in economic activities.
6. n. A substance that is neither animal nor vegetable; inorganic matter.
7. n. An inorganic element, such as calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, or zinc, that is essential to the nutrition of humans, animals, and plants.
8. n. An ore.
9. n. Chiefly British Mineral water.
10. adj. Of or relating to minerals: a mineral deposit.
11. adj. Impregnated with minerals.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Any constituent of the earth's crust; more specifically, an inorganic body occurring in nature, homogeneous and having a definite chemical composition which can be expressed by a chemical formula, and further having certain distinguishing physical characters. A mineral is in almost every case a solid body, and, if it has been formed under suitable conditions, it has, besides its definite chemical composition, a definite molecular structure, which is exhibited externally in its crystalline form and also internally in its cleavage, its behavior with respect to light (optical properties),heat-propagation, electricity, etc. Furthermore, it has other characters, which may belong to it even when amorphous (though sometimes modified by crystallization), as specific gravity, hardness, fracture, tenacity, luster, color, fusibility, etc. A certain variation in physical characters is consistent with the identity of a mineral species, but if the same substance, as calcium carbonate in calcite and in aragonite. occurs in two or more groups of crystals which cannot he referred to the same fundamental form, each is ranked as a distinct species. A difference in specific gravity and in some other physical characters usually accompanies the difference in crystallization. How great a variation in chemical composition, as by isomorphous replacement, is consistent with the identity of a single mineral species is a point about which opinion differs: some authors treat the garnets (all of which have the same form and the same general formula) as a group of related species, and others as varieties of a single species. Chemical compounds formed in the laboratory or in the arts are not regarded as minerals; but where such compounds as are already known as occurring in nature are thus formed they are usually called artificial minerals. Much attention has been devoted of recent, years to the artificial reproduction of minerals, but almost solely as a matter of scientific interest, and as throwing light on the processes of nature.
2. n. A mine.
3. Having the nature or character of a mineral as defined above; obtained from a mineral or minerals; belonging to the class of minerals; consisting of minerals: as, a mineral substance; the mineral kingdom. Coal dug from the earth is sometimes called mineral coal, to distinguish it from charcoal, which is artificially prepared by chairing wood.
4. Impregnated with minerals or mineral matter: as, mineral waters; a mineral spring.
5. n. In mining, ore.

Wiktionary

1. n. geology Any naturally occurring inorganic material that has a (more or less) definite chemical composition and characteristic physical properties.
2. n. Any inorganic material (as distinguished from animal or vegetable).
3. n. Any inorganic element that is essential to nutrition; a dietary mineral.
4. n. UK Mineral water.
5. n. Ireland, South Africa, informal A soft drink, particularly a single serve bottle or can.
6. adj. of, related to, or containing minerals

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. 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. n. obsolete A mine.
3. n. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral).
4. adj. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals.
5. adj. Impregnated with minerals.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition
2. adj. composed of matter other than plant or animal
3. adj. relating to minerals