| miner | 1. One who mines; a digger for metals, etc.; one engaged in the business of getting ore, coal, or precious stones, out of the earth; one who digs military mines; as, armies have sappers and miners. 2. <zoology> Any of numerous insects which, in the larval state, excavate galleries in the parenchyma of leaves. They are mostly minute moths and dipterous flies. The chattering, or garrulous, honey eater of Australia (Myzantha garrula). <medicine> Miner's elbow, a swelling on the black of the elbow due to inflammation of the bursa over the olecranon; so called because of frequent occurrence in miners. Miner's inch, in hydraulic mining, the amount of water flowing under a given pressure in a given time through a hole one inch in diameter. It is a unit for measuring the quantity of water supplied. Origin: Cf. F. Mineur. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| miner's asthma | The dyspnea of anthracosis or other pneumoconioses in miners. (05 Mar 2000) |
| miner's cramps | Cramp's caused by excessive salt loss through perspiration. Synonym: stoker's cramps. (05 Mar 2000) |
| miner's disease | ancylostomiasis, miner's nystagmus |
| miner's elbow | Inflammation with fluid distention of the olecranon bursa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| miner's lung | Pneumonoconiosis from accumulation of carbon from inhaled smoke or coal dust in the lungs. See: pneumomelanosis. Synonym: collier's lung, melanedema, miner's lung. Origin: anthraco-+ G. -osis, condition (05 Mar 2000) |
| miner's nystagmus | Nystagmus occurring in 19th century coal miners and thought at the time to be related to lack of illumination as well as other factors. Synonym: miner's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mineral | 1. An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature, having a definite chemical composition and usually a distinct crystalline form. Rocks, except certain glassy igneous forms, are either simple minerals or aggregates of minerals. 2. A mine. 3. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral). Origin: F. Mineral, LL. Minerale, fr. Minera mine. See Mine. 1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance. 2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters. <chemistry> Mineral acids, a salt of a mineral acid. Mineral tallow, a familiar name for hatchettite, from its fatty or spermaceti-like appearance. Mineral water. See Water. Mineral wax. See Ozocerite. Mineral wool, a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing a powerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is a poor conductor of heat. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| mineral fibres | Long, pliable, cohesive natural or manufactured filaments of various lengths. They form the structure of some minerals. The medical significance lies in their potential ability to cause various types of pneumoconiosis (e.g., asbestosis) after occupational or environmental exposure. (12 Dec 1998) |
| mineral oil | <chemical> A mixture of liquid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum. It is used as laxative, lubricant, ointment base, and emollient. Pharmacological action: cathartic, emollients, ointment bases. Chemical name: Hydrocarbon oils (12 Dec 1998) |
| mineral soil | <ecology> Any soil consisting primarily of mineral (sand, silt and clay) material, rather than organic matter. (12 Jan 1998) |
| mineral water | Water that contains appreciable amounts of certain salts, which give it therapeutic properties. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mineral waters | Water naturally or artificially infused with mineral salts or gases (carbon dioxide). (12 Dec 1998) |
| mineral wax | A wax derived from petroleum. Synonym: mineral wax. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mineralisation | <chemistry> The action of mineralising, the state of being mineralised. (12 Jan 1998) |