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mineral

noun

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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)

3 obsolete : mine

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

6 minerals plural, British : mineral water

mineral

adjective

Definition of mineral (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of or relating to minerals also : inorganic

2 : impregnated with mineral substances

Examples of mineral in a Sentence

Noun an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Karamoja, a mountainous area on Uganda's border with Kenya, is also a mineral-rich region where both wildcat and large-scale miners dig for a range of minerals and metals including gold. — Reuters, CNN, "More than 200 prisoners break free from jail in Uganda, some with guns and ammunition," 17 Sep. 2020 P{H}ASE Skin’s kit of three treatments includes a hydrating serum packed with moisture-grabbing hyaluronic acid and mineral-rich algae. — Caitlin Kenny, refinery29.com, "Why People Are Syncing Their Skincare To Their Menstrual Cycles," 7 Sep. 2020 Proponents argue that the mineral deposits found in areas of the deep sea are needed to power the technology of the future and help the world transition away from fossil fuels. — Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, "Deep-Sea Mining’s Environmental Toll Could Last Decades," 1 May 2020 Murkowski’s American Mineral Security Act, introduced last year, seeks to speed permitting for critical minerals mining, identify U.S. critical mineral deposits, and invest in research and development of recycling and alternatives. — Abby Smith, Washington Examiner, "Daily on Energy: Path opens for long-stalled Senate bill that would be the biggest update to energy law in decade," 11 Sep. 2020 P{H}ASE Skin’s kit of three treatments includes a hydrating serum packed with moisture-grabbing hyaluronic acid and mineral-rich algae. — Caitlin Kenny, refinery29.com, "Why People Are Syncing Their Skincare To Their Menstrual Cycles," 4 Sep. 2020 In the decades that followed, word of the curative powers of those mineral waters spread across the young nation. — Rex Nelson, Arkansas Online, "A blessing for parks," 30 Aug. 2020 Examples of mineral waters are Topo Chico and Perrier. — Zareen Syed, chicagotribune.com, "‘Down to Earth’ teaches tips for finding the best bottled water," 24 Aug. 2020 That There’s a Downside, Sometimes, to Human Ingenuity Humans have bottled water for centuries—especially mineral waters believed to have healing properties. — Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, "Fifty Things We’ve Learned About the Earth Since the First Earth Day," 22 Apr. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Sooner or later, however, the beads reach maximum capacity and can’t attract any more mineral ions. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How a Water Softener Works (And Why You Might Want One)," 20 Aug. 2020 Iron flecks in coal fly ash, for example, are amorphous globs that dissolve more easily than the crystals found in mineral dust. — Emily Underwood, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Complicated Role of Iron in Ocean Health and Climate Change," 3 Jan. 2020 The other 80% involves only mineral rights — ownership of trona, oil and natural gas reserves that could be leased for mining and drilling. — The Salt Lake Tribune, "Wyoming not top contender for purchase of land and mineral rights," 11 Aug. 2020 District officials cited a lack of buildable land that is not subject to mineral rights when picking the charter school property as its new high school site. — Katie Galioto, Star Tribune, "Iron Range school district strikes deal to end property dispute with charter school," 4 Aug. 2020 The Colorado Alliance of Mineral and Royalty Owners said reports by the industry show that mineral-rights owners were paid a total of roughly a half billion dollars in 2019. — Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, "Oil, gas companies not alone: Mineral rights owners facing squeeze from industry downturn," 28 May 2020 The French, British, and American expeditions of the 1840s sailed south in the hope of discovering a Terra Australis laden with mineral treasures, only to find towering glaciers and deathly cold. — Gillen D’arcy Wood, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Forgotten American Explorer Who Discovered Huge Parts of Antarctica," 26 Mar. 2020 Or, for a full on nail care kit, try Arianna's nail kit with cuticle oil, a miraculous nail buffer that creates lasting shine, and a smoothing mineral hand treatment. — Chelsea Hall, Marie Claire, "The Nail Shapes Dictionary: All the Need-to-Know Styles," 26 Mar. 2020 The crystals on trench watches were mineral glass, which was relatively fragile. — Cole Pennington, Bloomberg.com, "How World War I Changed Watches Forever," 24 Sep. 2019

These 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.