silicate
silicate — noun
- silicatesingular
- silicatesplural
1. a mineral that forms when silicon and oxygen join together with various metal at
a mineral that forms when silicon and oxygen join together with various metal atoms — these minerals together make up most of the rocks and soil on the earth's surface
Kenji picked up a dark-green silicate that had formed inside the ancient volcano.
The speckled pattern on the granite counter comes from the silicates embedded in the stone.
uncountable collective noun: silicates (the group)
Microscopic silicate particles in the clay give garden pots their strength after baking.
Rania learned how silicates form in the magma chambers deep beneath a mountain range.
When rainwater hits certain silicates, the minerals slowly break down into grains of sand.
- mineral
much broader category — not all minerals are silicates
- rock-forming mineral
descriptive term for silicates in geology contexts
文法句型
silicate (countable)
silicates (plural, referring to group or class)
用法筆記
In geology writing, the plural form 'silicates' is used far more often than the singular when referring to the mineral class as a whole.
2. any chemical compound formed when silicon and oxygen atoms join with at least on
any chemical compound formed when silicon and oxygen atoms join with at least one other element — this group includes natural mineral salts and also man-made materials with the same atomic structure
Diego added a sodium silicate solution to the cement to make it dry faster.
compound noun: sodium silicate
In the lab, Minh mixed silica powder with sodium hydroxide to produce a liquid silicate used as an adhesive.
Calcium silicate is often used as insulation around steam pipes in industrial buildings.
The chemist explained that many detergents contain silicates to stop dirt from sticking to the fabric.
When groundwater flows through volcanic rock, it slowly dissolves silicates from the mineral deposits.
- silicon compound
broader category — includes non-silicate silicon compounds
- silicic salt
strict chemical term for silicates classified as salts of silicic acid
文法句型
[element] silicate (e.g. sodium silicate)
silicate + of + metal
用法筆記
Frequently preceded by the name of a metal or other element (e.g. sodium, calcium, magnesium) to specify which silicate is meant. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense also covers synthetic compounds not found in nature.