CINXE.COM
American Heritage Dictionary Entry: mineralogy
<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/><!--[if lt IE 9]> <script src="{ $xqmvc:resource-dir }/js/html5shiv.js"></script> <![endif]--><!-- tricks ie7 into thinking it is ie8 --><!--[if lt IE 9]> <script src="https://ie7-js.googlecode.com/svn/version/2.1(beta4)/IE9.js"></script> <![endif]--><title>American Heritage Dictionary Entry: mineralogy</title><meta property="og:image" content="/application/resources/images/9780547041018.gif"/><meta property="og:title" content="The American Heritage Dictionary entry: mineralogy"/><meta property="og:description" content="The American Heritage Dictionary entry: mineralogy"/><meta name="description" content="The much-anticipated Fifth Edition of The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language is the premier resource about words for people who seek to know more and find fresh perspectives. Exhaustively researched and thoroughly revised, the Fifth Edition contains 10,000 new words and senses, over 4,000 dazzling new full-color images, and authoritative, up-to-date guidance on usage from the celebrated American Heritage Usage Panel."/><meta name="author" content="HarperCollins Publishers"/><meta name="keywords" content="HarperCollins, American Heritage Dictionaries, american heritage, dictionaries, dictionary, college thesaurus, american heritage college dictionary, college dictionary with cdrom, dictionary with cd-rom, crossword puzzle, crossword, puzzle, crossword puzzle dictionary, crossword dictionary, puzzle dictionary, crossword puzzle book, crossword puzzle solver, thesaurus, college dictionary, high school dictionary, student thesaurus, students, college, first dictionary, student science, science dictionary, english, 100 words, 100 words you should know, thesauri, children dictionaries, children thesaurus, wall street words, dictionary of idioms, roget's pocket thesaurus, desk dictionary, 100 words every high school freshman should know, high school freshman, students, 100 words almost everyone confuses and misuses, misused words, riverside dictionary of biography, stedman's medical dictionary, word histories and mysteries, 100 Words Every Word Lover Should Know, quizzes, 100 words list, special features, you are your words"/><link rel="shortcut icon" href="/application/resources/images/favico.ico"/><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="/application/resources/css/style.css"/><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="/application/resources/css/mygrid.css"/><link href="/application/resources/yui/fonts/fonts-min.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/><link href="/application/resources/yui/menu/assets/skins/sam/menu.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/><link href="/application/resources/yui/autocomplete/assets/skins/sam/autocomplete.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/><!--[if lt IE 8]> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="3c_float.css" /> <![endif]--><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/js/jquery.1.6.2.min.js"><!-- --></script><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/js/corners.min.js"><!-- --></script><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/js/jCarousel.min.js"><!-- --></script><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/js/ahd.js"><!-- --></script><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/js/google.js"><!-- --></script><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="https://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share"><!-- --></script><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"><!-- --></script><script type="text/javascript"> $('document').ready(function(){ //jCarousel $("#mycarousel").jcarousel({ wrap: 'circular', visible:5, start:1, scroll:5 }) }); </script><!-- YUI --><script type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/yui/yahoo-dom-event/yahoo-dom-event.js"><!-- --></script><script type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/yui/container/container_core-min.js"><!-- --></script><script type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/yui/menu/menu-min.js"><!-- --></script><script type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/yui/animation/animation-min.js"><!-- --></script><script type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/yui/datasource/datasource-min.js"><!-- --></script><script type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/yui/connection/connection-min.js"><!-- --></script><script type="text/javascript" src="/application/resources/yui/autocomplete/autocomplete-min.js"><!-- --></script><!-- end YUI --></head><body><!-- the header --><div id="header" class="yui-skin-sam"><!-- include header here --><div class="container"><div id="masthead"><img class="branding" src="/application/resources/images/AHD-Dictionary.png" alt="AHD-Dictionary" width="779" height="99"/><div id="myAutoComplete"><form method="get" action="/word/search.html" onsubmit="this.submit();return false;"><input id="search" name="q" type="text" rows="20" autocomplete="off" class="search" style="border-top: 1px solid #096d9d; border-right: 1px solid #096d9d; border-left: 1px solid #096d9d; border-bottom:none; font-size:16px; width:447px; height:36px; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 6px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 6px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 0px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 6px 6px 0px 0px; border-radius: 6px 6px 0px 0px; padding:0px 15px 0px 15px;"/><input type="image" src="/application/resources/images/search.png" alt="search" width="86" height="40" name="submit" value="" class="submit-button" style="position:relative;top:13px;"/><div id="suggestions" class="yui-ac-container" style="width: 180px;"><!--suggestions here--></div></form></div><script type="text/javascript"> YAHOO.util.Event.onDOMReady(function() { var autoSuggestDataSource = new YAHOO.util.XHRDataSource("/ajax/suggest.html"); autoSuggestDataSource.maxCacheEntries = 20; autoSuggestDataSource.responseType = YAHOO.util.XHRDataSource.TYPE_XML autoSuggestDataSource.useXPath = true; autoSuggestDataSource.responseSchema = { resultNode: "term", fields: [ { key: "term", locator: "." } ] }; var myAutoComp = new YAHOO.widget.AutoComplete("search","suggestions", autoSuggestDataSource); myAutoComp.generateRequest = function(sQuery) { return "?query=" + sQuery ; }; myAutoComp.maxResultsDisplayed = 10; myAutoComp.alwaysShowContainer = false; // Container will expand and collapse vertically myAutoComp.animVert = true; // Container will expand and collapse horizontally myAutoComp.animHoriz = false; // Container animation will take 0 seconds to complete myAutoComp.animSpeed = 0; // Display up to 20 results in the container myAutoComp.maxResultsDisplayed = 20; // Require user to type at least 3 characters before triggering a query myAutoComp.minQueryLength = 3; // Key input events will trigger queries ASAP... myAutoComp.queryDelay = 0.1; // Enable a drop-shadow under the container element myAutoComp.useShadow = true; // Enable type ahead myAutoComp.typeAhead = false; // Disable the browser's built-in autocomplete caching mechanism myAutoComp.allowBrowserAutocomplete = false; return { oDS: autoSuggestDataSource, oAC: myAutoComp }; }); </script></div></div></div><!-- main content of the page --><div id="content" class="container"><div class="container1"><div class="widget alpha blueStroke"><img class="boxIcon" src="/application/resources/images/use-icon.png" alt="use-icon" width="38" height="51"/><h2>HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY</h2><p>To look up an entry in <i>The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language,</i> use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.</p><p>Some compound words (like <i>bus rapid transit, dog whistle,</i> or <i>identity theft</i>) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.</p><p><a href="/word/howtouse.html" alt="arrow2">guide to the dictionary</a></p></div><div class="widget alpha blueStroke"><img class="boxIcon" src="/application/resources/images/use-icon.png" alt="use-icon" width="38" height="51"/><h2>THE USAGE PANEL</h2><p>The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.</p><p><a href="/word/usagepanel.html" alt="arrow2">The Panelists</a></p></div><!-- <div class="widget alpha blueStroke"> <img class="boxIcon" src="{$xqmvc:resource-dir}/images/puzzle-icon.png" alt="puzzle-icon" width="38" height="51"/> <h2>NEED HELP SOLVING A CROSSWORD PUZZLE?</h2> <p>Go to our <a class="no-arrow" href="/word/crossword.html">Crossword Puzzle Solver</a> and type in the letters that you know, and the Solver will produce a list of possible solutions.</p> </div>--></div><div class="container2"><div class="widget omega blueStroke"><img class="boxIcon" src="/application/resources/images/open-icon.png" alt="open-icon" width="38" height="51"/><h2>AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP</h2><p>The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for <a class="no-arrow" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/american-heritage-english/id1118313580?mt=8">iOS</a> and <a class="no-arrow" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobisystems.msdict.embedded.wireless.houghtonmifflinharcourt.americanheritagedictionaryplus">Android.</a></p><p/></div><div class="widget omega blueStroke"><img class="boxIcon" src="/application/resources/images/scroll-icon.png" alt="scroll-icon" width="38" height="51"/><h2>THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG</h2><p>The articles in our <a class="no-arrow" href="http://ahdictionary.tumblr.com/">blog</a> examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.</p></div><!--<div class="widget omega blueStroke"> <img class="boxIcon" src="{$xqmvc:resource-dir}/images/open-icon.png" alt="open-icon" width="38" height="51"/> <h2>OPEN DICTIONARY PROJECT</h2> <p>Share your ideas for new words and new meanings of old words!</p> <p><a href="/word/submitNew.html">Start Sharing Now!</a></p> </div> --><div class="widget omega blueStroke"><img class="boxIcon" src="/application/resources/images/100-words-icon.png" alt="100-words-icon" width="172" height="33"/><p>See word lists from the best-selling 100 Words Series!</p><p><a href="/word/hundredwords.html">Find out more!</a></p></div><div class="widget omega blueStroke"><img class="boxIcon" src="/application/resources/images/open-icon.png" alt="open-icon" width="38" height="51"/><h2>INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?</h2><p>Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at <a class="no-arrow" href="http://www.dictionarysociety.com">http://www.dictionarysociety.com</a></p></div></div><div class="container3"><!-- include body here --><div id="results"><table border="0" cellspacing="5" width="100%"><tr><td><a name="M5338100"/><div class="rtseg"><b><font size="-1" face="arial,sans-serif"><font color="#006595">min·er·al·o·gy</font></font></b><span> </span><a href="/application/resources/wavs/M0311700.wav" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="/application/resources/images/mini-speaker.png"/></a> (m<font face="Minion New">ĭ</font>n<font face="Minion New">′</font><font face="Minion New">ə</font>-r<font face="Minion New">ŏ</font>l<font face="Minion New"></font><font face="Minion New">ə</font>-j<font face="Minion New">ē</font>, -r<font face="Minion New">ă</font>l<font face="Minion New"></font>-)<div align="right"> Share: <a href="https://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="none">Tweet</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></div></div><div class="pseg"><i>n.</i><span> </span><i>pl.</i> <span> </span><span> </span><b><font size="-1" face="arial,sans-serif">min·er·al·o·gies</font></b><span> </span><div class="ds-list"><b><font size="-1" face="arial,sans-serif">1. </font></b><span> </span>The study of minerals, including their distribution, identification, and properties.</div><div class="ds-list"><b><font size="-1" face="arial,sans-serif">2. </font></b><span> </span>A book or treatise on mineralogy.</div></div><hr align="left" width="25%"/><div class="runseg"><b><font size="-1" face="arial,sans-serif">min<font face="Minion New">′</font>er·a·log<font face="Minion New"></font>i·cal</font></b><span> </span>(-<font face="Minion New">ə</font>r-<font face="Minion New">ə</font>-l<font face="Minion New">ŏ</font>j<font face="Minion New"></font><font face="Minion New">ĭ</font>-k<font face="Minion New">ə</font>l)<i><span> </span>adj.</i></div><div class="runseg"><b><font size="-1" face="arial,sans-serif">min<font face="Minion New">′</font>er·a·log<font face="Minion New"></font>i·cal·ly</font></b><i><span> </span>adv.</i></div><div class="runseg"><b><font size="-1" face="arial,sans-serif">min<font face="Minion New">′</font>er·al<font face="Minion New"></font>o·gist</font></b><i><span> </span>n.</i></div></td></tr></table><hr align="center" width="100%"/><span class="copyright"> The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. <br/> </span><!--end--></div><!-- end container top --><div class="slideshow-results alpha omega"><h1 class="productSlider">Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices</h1><ul class="top"><p/><p class="top">Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:</p><p><a href="/word/indoeurop.html" alt="arrow2">Indo-European Roots</a></p><p><a href="/word/semitic.html" alt="arrow2">Semitic Roots</a></p><p class="top">The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our <a class="no-arrow" href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-american-heritage-dictionary-of-indo-european-roots-third-edition-calvert-watkins">Dictionary of Indo-European Roots</a>.</p></ul><p/></div><div class="slideshow-results alpha omega"><h1 class="productSlider">American Heritage Dictionary Products</h1><ul id="mycarousel" class="jcarousel-skin-tango"><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-american-heritage-dictionary-of-the-english-language-fifth-edition-editors-of-the-american-heritage-dictionaries"><img src="/application/resources/images/9781328841698_hres.jpg" alt="The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition" width="80" height="105"/><p>The American Heritage Dictionary, 5th Edition</p></a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-american-heritage-dictionary-of-idioms-second-edition-christine-ammer"><img src="https://i.harperapps.com/covers/9780547676586.jpg" alt="The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms" width="80" height="105"/><p>The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms</p></a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-american-heritage-desk-dictionary-and-thesaurus"><img src="https://i.harperapps.com/covers/9780544176188.jpg" alt="The American Heritage Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus" width="80" height="105"/><p>The American Heritage Roget's Thesaurus</p></a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/curious-georges-dictionary?variant=39934494212130"><img src="https://i.harperapps.com/covers/9780544336650.jpg" alt="Curious George's Dictionary" width="80" height="105"/><p>Curious George's Dictionary</p></a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/american-heritage-first-dictionary-editors-of-the-american-heritage-dictionaries"><img src="https://i.harperapps.com/covers/9781328753366.jpg" width="80" height="105"/><p>The American Heritage Children's Dictionary</p></a></li></ul></div></div><!-- end container 3 --><p/><p/></div><!-- footer --><div id="footer"><div class="container"><div style="padding-bottom:10px"><ul style="columns: 4 200px; -moz-columns: 4 200px; -webkit-columns: 4 200px;"><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>CONTACT US</b></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate-customer-service">Customer Service</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/worldwide-submit-a-manuscript">Make Me An Author</a></li><li><a href="https://help.glose.com/">Ebooks Help with Glose Reader</a></li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>ABOUT US</b></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/worldwide-company-profile">Company Profile</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/worldwide-leadership-team">Leadership Team</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate-social-responsibility">Corporate Social Responsibility</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/careers">HarperCollins Careers</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate-harpercollins-imprints">HarperCollins Imprints</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/harpergreen">HarperGreen</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/social-media-directory">Social Media Directory</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/accessibility">Accessibility</a></li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>FOR READERS</b></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/">Browse Reading Guides</a></li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>FOR AUTHORS</b></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate-for-authors-submit-a-manuscript">Submit a Manuscript</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/for-authors-report-piracy">Report Piracy</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate-for-authors-agent-portal">Agent Portal</a></li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>MEDIA</b></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate-media-publicity-contacts">Publicity Contacts</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/press-releases">Press Room</a></li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>SERVICES</b></li><li><a href="http://www.harpercollinsspeakersbureau.com/">HarperCollins Speakers Bureau</a></li><li><a href="http://www.librarylovefest.com/">Library Services</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harperacademic.com/">Academic Services</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harperacademic.com/pages/ordering/">Desk & Exam Copies</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate-media-publicity-contacts">Review Copies</a></li><li><a href="https://anypoint.mulesoft.com/exchange/portals/mulesoft-1088/">OpenBook API</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/marketing-partnerships">Marketing Partnerships</a></li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>COVID-19 RESOURCES & PERMISSIONS</b></li><li><a href="https://www.harperacademic.com/pages/onlinepermission2020/">Permissions for Adult Online Readings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/childrens-harper-at-home">Permissions for Kids Online Readings</a></li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>SALES & RIGHTS</b></li><li><a href="https://business.harpercollinschristian.com/login">Booksellers & Retailer Ordering</a></li><li><a href="https://www.edelweiss.plus/#publisher=HC&folderID=8841">HarperCollins Catalogs</a></li><li><a href="http://permissions.harpercollins.com/">Permissions</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate-sales-and-rights-subsidiary-rights">Subsidiary Rights</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/media-rights-and-content-development-at-harpercollins">Media Rights and Content Development</a></li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>GLOSE APP</b></li><li><a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/glose-social-e-book-reader/id896681871">iPhone</a></li><li><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glose.android&hl=en">Android</a></li><li> </li><li> </li><li> </li><li style="margin: 10px 0px;"><b>GLOBAL DIVISIONS</b></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/corporate">HarperCollins US</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.ca/">HarperCollins Canada</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollinschristian.com/">HarperCollins Christian</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/">HarperCollins Australia</a></li><li><a href="https://harpercollins.co.in/">HarperCollins India</a></li><li><a href="https://www.harpercollins.co.uk/">HarperCollins UK</a></li><li> </li><li> </li><li> </li><li> </li><li> </li><li> </li><li> </li><li> </li></ul></div><img class="harcourt-logo" src="/application/resources/images/footer-logo.png" alt="hc-logo" width="230" height="53"/><div id="legal_nav" style="text-align:right;"><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/terms-of-use">Terms of Use</a> • <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/terms-of-sale">Terms of Sale</a> • <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/privacy-policy">Your Ad Choices</a> • <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</a> • <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/california-consumer-privacy-act">California Privacy Policy</a><br/><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/do-not-sell">Do Not Sell My Personal Information</a><br/><p>Copyright 2022 HarperCollins Publishers All rights reserved.</p><p>*This website is best viewed in Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Safari. Some characters in pronunciations and etymologies cannot be displayed properly in Internet Explorer.</p></div></div><!-- include footer here --></div></body></html>