Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Mineral
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.
A mine.
[Obs.]
Shak.
3.
Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral).
Min′er-al
,Adj.
1.
Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals;
as, a
. mineral
substance2.
Impregnated with minerals;
as,
. mineral
watersMineral acids
(Chem.)
, 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
(Chem.)
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
(Nat. Sci.)
, that one of the three grand divisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects, as distinguished from plants or animals.
– Mineral oil
. – Mineral paint
, a pigment made chiefly of some natural mineral substance, as red or yellow iron ocher.
– Mineral patch
. – Mineral right
, the right of taking minerals from land.
– Mineral salt
(Chem.)
, 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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Mineral
MIN'ERAL
,Noun.
A body destitute of organization, and which naturally exists within the earth or at its surface.
Minerals were formerly divided into salts, earths, inflammables and ores; a division which serves for a general distribution, but a more scientific arrangement into classes, orders, genera, species, subspecies and varieties, has been adopted to meet the more precise views of modern mineralogists.
MIN'ERAL
,Adj.
1.
Impregnated with minerals or fossil matter; as mineral waters; a mineral spring.