spinel

/spə-ˈnel/ (ame, mw)

spinel — noun

1. A natural stone found in many colors, especially red and pink, which is cut and

1.名詞C1
釋義

A natural stone found in many colors, especially red and pink, which is cut and polished to be placed in jewelry such as rings and necklaces.

例句

The antique brooch contained a deep red spinel that sparkled in the candlelight.

collocation: deep red / deep blue in gem descriptions

Collectors value blue spinels from Sri Lanka for their rare and vivid color.

attribute noun: blue spinels / pink spinels / black spinels

同義詞
  • gemstone

    broader category; spinel is one specific type of gemstone

  • jewel

    refers to the cut and mounted stone, not the mineral itself

用法筆記

Countable when referring to an individual stone (a spinel, three spinels); uncountable when referring to the material (a ring set with spinel).

常見錯誤

❌She bought a spinel ruby ring.
✅She bought a spinel ring that looked like ruby.
💡spinel is a separate gemstone, not a type of ruby.

2. A category of natural crystalline materials that share the same type of atomic s

2.名詞C1
釋義

A category of natural crystalline materials that share the same type of atomic structure, with each member containing a different metal combined with oxygen.

例句

Geologists classify gahnite as a member of the spinel group of minerals.

scientific classification: member of the spinel group

The spinel family includes minerals that contain iron, zinc, or manganese instead of magnesium.

同義詞
  • spinel group

    the standard mineralogical term for this category

  • spinel family

    less formal alternative for the same group of minerals

用法筆記

Usually used in the phrase 'spinel group' or 'spinel family' to refer to this mineral category as a whole. Individual members are named separately (e.g., gahnite, chromite).