ScienceAugust 16, 2026

mineralogical

min-uh-ruh-LOJ-i-kuhl

Definition

Relating to the scientific study of minerals, particularly their composition, structure, and properties.

Etymology

Derived from 'mineral' (from the Medieval Latin 'minerale,' meaning an ore or substance obtained by mining) combined with the suffix '-logical' (from the Greek 'logia,' meaning 'study of'). It emerged in modern English to describe the field of mineralogy.

In the news

In the article, the word appears in the context of the IM-4 mission's Compact Infrared Imaging System, which performs mineralogical measurements to analyze the composition of the lunar surface.

Space Coast launch schedule:

Read the full article ↗

Orlando Sentinel

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