polymineral
|pol-y-min-er-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌpɑːliˈmɪnərəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌpɒliˈmɪn(ə)rəl/
made of many minerals
Etymology
'polymineral' is formed from the Greek prefix 'poly-' meaning 'many' and the word 'mineral' (from Latin/Medieval Latin 'minerale'), so it literally means 'many minerals'.
The element 'poly-' comes from Greek 'polús' ('many'). 'Mineral' entered English via Medieval Latin 'minerale' (from Latin 'mineralis'). The compound 'polymineral' is a modern English formation combining the Greek prefix with the existing English word 'mineral'.
Originally the components meant 'many' + 'mineral'; the combined term has been used in technical/geological contexts to denote materials composed of multiple mineral species and has retained that specialized meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a rock or specimen that contains several different minerals (a polymineral rock or sample).
The thin section showed the sample to be a polymineral rather than a single-mineral crystal.
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Adjective 1
composed of, containing, or consisting of multiple different minerals.
The aggregate is polymineral, with quartz, feldspar, and mica present.
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Last updated: 2025/10/06 05:35