Etymologically
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mineralis

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [mɪ.nɛˈraː.lɪs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [mi.neˈraː.lis][1]

Forms

minerālis (neuter minerāle); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin minera (“mine”) + -ālis.[1][2] Niermeyer derives it from the variant minarium.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in Robert Grosseteste (1220–1235),[4] who speaks of the forms of the elements and of “mineral bodies”.[5]

Semantic evolution

In scholastic natural philosophy virtūs minerālis was the power that forms minerals in the earth,[5] and in alchemy sōl minerālis was gold.[5] In charters it meant simply “of a mine”.[5][6]

The neuter used as a noun, minerāle, meant something mined; it is the source of English mineral, borrowed in the late 14th century partly through Old French.[2] Glossaries explain the plural minerālia as bodies formed in the veins of the earth, such as lead and the other metals.[7]

Timeline

  • 1220–1235 – Robert Grosseteste writes of mineral bodies.[4][5]
  • late 14th century – English borrows the noun as mineral, “a substance obtained by mining”.[2]
  • 1494 – A Hungarian grant speaks of mine workings.[6]
  • 1577 – An English patent roll mentions houses built over mines.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin) Of or at a mine.[5][6]
  2. (Medieval Latin) virtūs minerālis: the power that produces minerals.[5]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Mineral, of the nature of a mineral or containing mineral matter.[1][3][5]
  4. (alchemy) sōl minerālis: gold.[5]

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin, neuter minerāle) Something mined; a mineral; in the plural, the bodies formed in the veins of the earth.[2][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  7. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre