meerschaum

[ meer-shuhm, -shawm ]

noun

1. a mineral, hydrous magnesium silicate, H 4 Mg 2 Si 3 O 1 0 , occurring in white, claylike masses, used for ornamental carvings, for pipe bowls, etc.; sepiolite.
2. a tobacco pipe with a bowl made of this substance.

meerschaum

/ ˈmɪəʃəm /

noun

1. Also calledsepiolite a white, yellowish, or pink compact earthy mineral consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate: used to make tobacco pipes and as a building stone. Formula: Mg 2 Si 3 O 6 (OH) 4
2. a tobacco pipe having a bowl made of this mineral

Word History and Origins

Origin of meerschaum¹

1775–85; < German Meerschaum, equivalent to Meer sea ( mere ² ) + Schaum foam

Word History and Origins

Origin of meerschaum¹

C18: German, literally: sea foam

Example Sentences

Spassky, looking uncomfortable, sat on Bobby’s right, and Vasiljevic, smoking a meerschaum pipe and appearing relaxed, was on his left.

From Literature

If, on the flip side, you have been consuming exclusively comics, exciting news: You are now twice as prestigious as you thought and can go buy a meerschaum smoking pipe.

From Washington Post

Woodstock’s nest is stolen, and Snoopy transforms into Sherlock Holmes, donning a deerstalker hat, blowing bubbles out of his meerschaum pipe and dusting for fingerprints in an effort to locate the culprit.

From New York Times

And, if sometimes in doing so, I feel as if I am impersonating Henry Higgins, though without the meerschaum, I can live with that.

From New York Times

Merlyn had finished his breakfast, and was puffing at the meerschaum pipe which made his pupil believe that he breathed fire.

From Literature