mineral English · revision 10440

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1393|origins=fro mineral|origins=la-med minerale}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmɪn.ə.ɹəl/, /ˈmɪn.ɹəl/ ''(UK)''; /ˈmɪn.ə.ɹəl/, /ˈmɪn.ɚ.əl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, from Old French mineral and directly from Medieval Latin minerāle, something mined,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) the noun use of the neuter of minerālis, pertaining to mines,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from minera, a mine, ore, from Old French miniere, from mine (see [[mine]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A variety of the philosophers' stone, in alchemy: before 1393, in Gower's ''Confessio Amantis'';^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) a substance obtained by mining, the late 14th century in Etymonline, probably before 1425 in Barnhart.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An ore of a metal is first recorded before 1449.^(Barnhart 1988) A substance neither animal nor vegetable, inorganic, is attested from the early 15th century^(Etymonline) (1602 in the OED),^(OED 1989) and the sense impregnated with minerals is first in ''mineral water'' (early 15th century; 1562 in Barnhart).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The modern scientific sense, a naturally occurring inorganic body of definite composition, came later.^(Etymonline)^(AHD) ''Mineralogy'' is from 1690, in Boyle.^(Barnhart 1988) In British use ''minerals'' are soft drinks.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1393 – a philosophers' stone.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1425 – a mined substance.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1449 – an ore.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1562 – mineral water.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1690 – mineralogy.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A naturally occurring inorganic solid with a characteristic crystalline form and chemical composition.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Any substance obtained by mining, such as a metal ore, coal or salt.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Any inorganic matter, neither animal nor vegetable.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(British)'' A soft drink; mineral water.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of, containing or relating to minerals.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[macromineral]]

+ * [[mineralize]]

+ * [[mineralocorticoid]]

+ * [[mineraloid]]

+ * [[nonmineral]]

+ * [[mineral oil]]

+ * [[mineral tar]]

+ * [[mineral water]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mine]]

+ * [[mineralogy]]

+ * [[miner]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}