spinel

noun

spi·​nel spə-ˈnel 

variants or spinelle

1

: a hard crystalline mineral consisting of an oxide of magnesium and aluminum that varies from colorless to ruby red to black and is used as a gem

2

: any of a group of minerals that are essentially oxides of magnesium, ferrous iron, zinc, or manganese

Examples of spinel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Composition N°1 consists of a poppy flower, sweet pea branches and a butterfly made of aventurine and black glass, paved with diamonds and black spinels, and coated in Vantablack — a material that absorbs 99.9 percent of visible light. —Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 24 July 2025

Her designs leaned away from the figurative with the Sunset rings, their sizable imperial topaz, yellow sapphire or spinel center stones held in swirls of gold. —Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 10 July 2025

There are many alternatives, including cobalt dioxide and manganese oxide spinel. —IEEE Spectrum, 12 June 2012

The auction house amended the origin of the spinel from Sri Lanka to Tajikistan, based on an American Gemological Laboratories report. —Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian spinella, diminutive of spina thorn, from Latin

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spinel

• ruby spinel