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Glite Dictionary
to kaolinize

to kaolinize

9.9
To change a rock or mineral into soft white clay by water and chemicals
  • verb
  • /ˈkeɪəˌlɪnaɪz/
  • Specialized
: caolinar
  • Certain minerals kaolinize when exposed to acidic groundwater over long periods.

Examples

  • Geologists observed that the granite had begun to kaolinize due to weathering.

  • They kaolinized the rock samples for further analysis.

  • The process to kaolinize feldspar is important in the formation of clay deposits.

  • The process will kaolinize the granite over time.

  • Certain minerals kaolinize when they undergo chemical weathering in acidic conditions.

  • Geologists studied how prolonged exposure to water can cause feldspar to kaolinize.

  • The constant humidity in the area helps to kaolinize the surrounding rocks into clay.

Synonyms

to mineralize
vsto kaolinize
  • Specialized
1 7.4

To become hard as minerals collect inside things like bones

is narrower, limited to making a specific white clay rather than any mineral

Surface Forms

kaolinize infinitive
kaolinized past
kaolinized past participle
kaolinizing present participle
kaolinizes third person singular

Morphology

kaolinize = kaolin (transparent) = kaolin + ize

The verb is formed by the regular suffix '-ize' meaning 'to make or become', so knowing 'kaolin' allows one to infer 'kaolinize'.

Etymology

Kaolinize comes from kaolin, the name for a soft white clay first found near the Chinese place 'Gaoling', which means 'high ridge'. To kaolinize something is to change a rock or mineral into that white clay used for porcelain, so the word means 'to turn into kaolin'.