Chapter Minacious to Mineralogy of M by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

2. (Zoöl.) (a) Any of numerous insects which, in the larval state, excavate galleries in the parenchyma of leaves. They are mostly minute moths and dipterous flies. (b) The chattering, or garrulous, honey eater of Australia (Myzantha garrula).

Miner's elbow (Med.), a swelling on the black of the elbow due to inflammation of the bursa over the olecranon; — so called because of frequent occurrence in miners. — Miner's inch, in hydraulic mining, the amount of water flowing under a given pressure in a given time through a hole one inch in diameter. It is a unit for measuring the quantity of water supplied.

Mineral
(Min"er*al) n. [F. minéral, LL. minerale, fr. minera mine. See Mine, v. i.]

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

Mineral
(Min"er*al), a.

1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance.

2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters.

Mineral 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 paraffine. — 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 — 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. See Naphtha, and Petroleum. — Mineral paint, a pigment made chiefly of some natural mineral substance, as red or yellow iron ocher. — Mineral patch. See Bitumen, and Asphalt. — 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.

Mineralist
(Min"er*al*ist), n. [Cf. F. minéraliste.] One versed in minerals; mineralogist. [R.]

Mineralization
(Min`er*al*i*za"tion) n. [Cf. F. minéralisation.]

1. The process of mineralizing, or forming a mineral by combination of a metal with another element; also, the process of converting into a mineral, as a bone or a plant.

2. The act of impregnating with a mineral, as water.

3. (Bot.) The conversion of a cell wall into a material of a stony nature.

Mineralize
(Min"er*al*ize) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mineralized ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mineralizing ] [Cf. F. minéraliser.]