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Glite Dictionary
nepheline

nepheline

9.9
A white mineral used to make glass and pottery
  • noun
  • /ˈnɛfəˌlaɪn/
  • Specialized
: nefelina
  • The ceramic tiles were made with nepheline as a key ingredient.

Examples

  • Geologists discovered a rich deposit of nepheline in the mountain range.

  • The geologist studied a sample of nepheline from the mine.

  • Because of its durability, nepheline is often used in the production of glass and enamels.

  • Many ceramics are made using nepheline as a key ingredient.

  • Because of its durability, nepheline is often used in the production of ceramics and enamels.

  • The ceramic tiles were made with nepheline as a key ingredient.

  • Many ceramics are made using nepheline to improve their strength and finish.

Synonyms

nephelite
vsnepheline
  • Specialized
9.9

A white mineral with crystals used to make pottery and tiles

is the same mineral but known under a different technical name

Surface Forms

nepheline singular
nephelines plural

Morphology

nepheline = nephel + ine

Formed from a non-productive Greek combining form 'nephel-' plus the mineral/chemical suffix '-ine', so English learners cannot reliably derive the meaning from the parts.

Etymology

The word nepheline comes from the Greek nephēlē, which means 'cloud', because the mineral often looks pale and cloudy. So nepheline is easy to remember as a mineral that looks like a 'cloud' and is used in ceramics and enamels.