hematite

[ hee-muh-tahyt, hem-uh- ]

noun
  1. a very common mineral, iron oxide, Fe2O3, occurring in steel-gray to black crystals and in red earthy masses: the principal ore of iron.

Origin of hematite

1
1535–45; <Latin haematītes bloodstone <Greek haimatī́tēs (lithós) bloodlike (stone). See hemat-, -ite1

Other words from hematite

  • he·ma·tit·ic [hee-muh-tit-ik, hem-uh-], /ˌhi məˈtɪt ɪk, ˌhɛm ə-/, adjective

Words Nearby hematite

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How to use hematite in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hematite

hematite

haematite (ˈhɛmətaɪt, ˈhiːm-)

/ (ˈhɛmətaɪt) /


noun
  1. a red, grey, or black mineral, found as massive beds and in veins and igneous rocks. It is the chief source of iron. Composition: iron (ferric) oxide. Formula: Fe 2 O 3 . Crystal structure: hexagonal (rhombohedral): Also called: iron glance

Origin of hematite

1
C16: via Latin from Greek haimatitēs resembling blood, from haima blood

Derived forms of hematite

  • hematitic or haematitic (ˌhɛməˈtɪtɪk, ˌhiː-), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for hematite

hematite

[ mə-tīt′ ]


  1. A reddish-brown to silver-gray metallic mineral. Hematite occurs as rhombohedral crystals, as reniform (kidney-shaped) crystals, or as fibrous aggregates in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. It is the most abundant ore of iron, and it is usually slightly magnetic. Chemical formula: Fe2O3.

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