minette

noun

mi·​nette

mə̇ˈnet

plural -s

1

: a dark igneous rock composed chiefly of biotite and orthoclase that occurs usually in narrow dikes and sheets and that constitutes one of the lamprophyres

2

[French] : an oolitic iron ore containing as a rule 28 to 48 percent of iron and 1.5 to 2 percent of phosphorus that is plentiful in Luxemburg and Lorraine and is adapted for the basic Bessemer process

Word History

Etymology

German, from French, oolitic iron ore, from French mine ore, mine + -ette

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