Muscovite

[ muhs-kuh-vahyt ]

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Moscow.
2. a native or inhabitant of the Grand Duchy of Muscovy.
3. Also called white mica. (lowercase) Mineralogy. common light-colored mica, essentially KAl 3 Si 3 O 1 0 (OH) 2 , used as an electrical insulator.
4. Archaic. a Russian.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Moscow, Muscovy, or the Muscovites.

muscovite

¹

/ ˈmʌskəˌvaɪt /

noun

1. a pale brown, or green, or colourless mineral of the mica group, found in plutonic rocks such as granite and in sedimentary rocks. It is used in the manufacture of lubricants, insulators, paints, and Christmas "snow". Composition: potassium aluminium silicate. Formula: KAl 2 (AlSi 3 )O 10 (OH) 2 . Crystal structure: monoclinic See also mica

Muscovite

²

/ ˈmʌskəˌvaɪt /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Moscow

adjective

1. an archaic word for Russian

muscovite

/ mŭs′kə-vīt′ /

1. A usually colorless to yellow or pale-gray mica. Muscovite is a monoclinic mineral and is found in igneous rocks, such as granites and pegmatites, metamorphic rocks, such as schists and gneisses, and in many sedimentary rocks. Chemical formula: KAl 2 (AlSi 3 )O 10 (OH) 2 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of Muscovite¹

First recorded in 1545–55; Muscov(y) + -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of Muscovite¹

C19: from the phrase Muscovy glass, an early name for mica

Example Sentences

On Saturday, a makeshift memorial was set up outside the concert hall where Muscovites lit candles and laid flowers.

From BBC

The attack has punctured the sense of relative safety for Muscovites over the past decade, bringing back memories of attacks that shadowed life in the Russian capital in the 2000s.

From New York Times

Valery, another Muscovite at the cemetery, who withheld his last name for security reasons, said he had little hope for the future and that after Navalny’s death, that “something has really broken” inside of him.

From Seattle Times

“We express our support, wish them health, wish them to take care,” said David Davtyan, a Muscovite who attended.

From Seattle Times

I talked about the problems his family had encountered as they tried to recover his body; I spoke to Muscovites laying floral tributes to him.

From BBC