zircon

noun

zir·​con ˈzər-ˌkän How to pronounce zircon (audio)
-kən
: a tetragonal mineral consisting of a silicate of zirconium and occurring usually in brown or grayish square prisms of adamantine luster or sometimes in transparent forms which are used as gems

Examples of zircon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web His team studied ancient crystals, called zircons, that provided evidence of freshwater. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 4 June 2024 Some of the zircons that were critical to the study. Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 16 Aug. 2023 To date the moon, the researchers obtained lunar dust collected by Apollo 17 in 1972 and analyzed the tiny zircon crystals and uranium contained inside. Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2023 This technique involves evaporating individual atoms from one of the zircon crystals with a laser beam and identifying them, per the Washington Post. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for zircon 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zircon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

German

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zircon was in 1794

Dictionary Entries Near zircon

Cite this Entry

“Zircon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zircon. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

zircon

noun
zir·​con ˈzər-ˌkän How to pronounce zircon (audio)
-kən
: a mineral that consists of a silicate of zirconium and occurs usually as brown or grayish crystals or sometimes as transparent forms which are used as gems

More from Merriam-Webster on zircon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!