mineral
noun
min·er·al
| \ ˈmin-rəl, ˈmi-nə-
\
\
Definition of mineral
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: ore
2
: an inorganic substance (as in the ash of calcined tissue)
4
: something neither animal nor vegetable
5a
: a solid homogeneous crystalline chemical element or compound that results from the inorganic processes of nature
broadly
: any of various naturally occurring homogeneous substances (such as stone, coal, salt, sulfur, sand, petroleum, water, or natural gas) obtained usually from the ground
b
: a synthetic substance having the chemical composition and crystalline form and properties of a naturally occurring mineral
mineral
adjectiveDefinition of mineral (Entry 2 of 2)
Examples of mineral in a Sentence
Noun
an adequate supply of vitamins and mineralsRecent Examples on the Web: Noun
Militias backed by Rwanda and Uganda energetically loot Congo’s minerals. — The Economist, "How do you reform a country where gunmen torch Ebola clinics?," 2 Aug. 2019 China controls more than 90% of the global production of rare earths, 17 minerals with magnetic and conductive properties that power most electronic devices. — Rishi Iyengar, CNN, "China has 'few good options' to hit back against new US tariffs," 2 Aug. 2019 Each contestant first has to melt a mixture of sand and minerals to a taffy-like consistency in a three-thousand-degree oven. — Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, "The Fiery Pleasures of “Blown Away,” a Reality-TV Competition for Glassblowing," 31 July 2019 Kidney stones develop when salt and other minerals found in urine stick together and form into hard stone-like deposits. — Samantha Lauriello, Health.com, "9 Causes of Smelly Urine—and What to Do About It," 31 July 2019 The Interior Department appointed Pendley as the policy director at BLM, which manages one out of every 10 acres in the United States and 30% of the nation’s minerals, in mid-July. — Brady Mccombs, The Denver Post, "Conservative lawyer in favor of selling public lands picked to oversee BLM," 30 July 2019 The Interior Department appointed Pendley as the policy director at BLM, which manages one out of every 10 acres in the United States and 30% of the nation’s minerals, in mid-July. — Ellen Knickmeyer, Twin Cities, "Opponent of nation’s public lands is picked to oversee them," 30 July 2019 Government lawyers have routinely fought to limit responsibilities in matters ranging from mineral rights to sanitation to toxic dumping. — Bill Lambrecht, ExpressNews.com, "Castro outflanks Democratic rivals with plan for Native Americans," 26 July 2019 The mineral springs, loaded with sulfur and Epsom salts, flowed freely from the southern Indiana limestone crevices. — Natalia E. Contreras, Indianapolis Star, "Summer day trips: Here's your guide to must see historic landmarks in Indiana," 25 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Matt Samelson, an attorney with Western Environmental Law Partners, said Adams County’s proposed setback shouldn’t come as a shock to many of the energy companies that operate in the congested and mineral-rich north suburban corridor. — John Aguilar, The Denver Post, "First attempt to tighten Colorado’s oil and gas setbacks could come from Adams County," 4 Aug. 2019 Local officials have been outbid for land and struggled to sort out old claims to mineral rights on construction sites. — Jason Pohl, ProPublica, "Deadly Delays in Jail Construction Cost Lives and Dollars Across California," 20 July 2019 Chemical sunscreen should be applied about 15 minutes before sun exposure, while mineral sunscreen works immediately. — Patia Braithwaite, SELF, "You're Probably Forgetting to Put Sunscreen on These 8 Places," 18 July 2019 The state divvies up mineral taxes among counties, but the year's budget mandated that Louisville's portion — $350,000 — be allocated exclusively to the Waterfront Botanical Gardens. — Laurel Deppen, The Courier-Journal, "What you need to know about Louisville's Waterfront Botanical Gardens project," 2 July 2019 Stop 2: Glenwood Springs Since 1888, the town of Glenwood Springs has held the title for the world’s largest mineral hot springs pool. — Alex Schechter, National Geographic, "Here is the ultimate hot springs road trip in Colorado," 24 June 2019 Physical sunscreens contain mineral ingredients—like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide—and sit on top of the skin to deflect and distribute damaging UVA and UVB rays away from the skin. — Susan Brickell, Health.com, "What Does SPF Stand For? We Asked Dermatologists," 21 June 2019 Broadly speaking, tequilas from the Highlands (Los Altos) often express with grassier and sometimes sweeter flavor profiles, while those from the Lowland (El Valle) can have an earthier, more mineral quality. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "12 Things Every Tequila Aficionado Needs to Know," 7 June 2019 These small, mineral hematite-rich concretions are near Fram Crater, visited by NASA's Opportunity rover in April 2004. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Curiosity rover detects highest levels of methane on Mars," 24 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mineral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for mineral
mineral
noun
English Language Learners Definition of mineral
: a substance (such as quartz, coal, petroleum, salt, etc.) that is naturally formed under the ground
: a chemical substance (such as iron or zinc) that occurs naturally in certain foods and that is important for good health
See the full definition for mineral in the English Language Learners Dictionary
mineral
noun
min·er·al
| \ ˈmi-nə-rəl
, ˈmin-rəl\
, ˈmin-rəl\
Kids Definition of mineral
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a naturally occurring solid substance (as diamond, gold, or quartz) that is not of plant or animal origin
2
: a naturally occurring substance (as ore, coal, salt, or petroleum) obtained from the ground usually for humans to use
mineral
adjectiveKids Definition of mineral (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: of or relating to minerals
a mineral deposit
2
: containing gases or mineral salts
mineral water
mineral
noun
min·er·al
| \ ˈmin(-ə)-rəl
\
\
Medical Definition of mineral
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a solid homogeneous crystalline chemical element or compound that results from the inorganic processes of nature
mineral
adjective