Main Entry:

min·er·al·o·gy

Pronunciation:

\ˌmi-nə-ˈrä-lə-jē, -ˈra-\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

probably from New Latin *mineralogia, irregular from Medieval Latin minerale + Latin -logia -logy

Date:

1690

1 : a science dealing with minerals, their crystallography, properties, classification, and the ways of distinguishing them 2 : the mineralogical characteristics of an area, a rock, or a rock formation

— min·er·al·og·i·cal \ˌmi-nə-rə-ˈlä-ji-kəl, ˌmin-rə-\ also min·er·al·og·ic \-ˈlä-jik\ adjective

— min·er·al·og·i·cal·ly \-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

— min·er·al·o·gist \ˌmi-nə-ˈrä-lə-jist, -ˈra-\ noun