muscovite

Noun · Adjective

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

a colorless or pale brown mica with potassium
a resident of Moscow

Adjective (1)

of or relating to the residents of Moscow“Muscovite street dealers”

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Mica \Mi"ca\, n. [L. mica crumb, grain, particle; cf. F. mica.] (Min.) The name of a group of minerals characterized by highly perfect cleavage, so that they readily separate into very thin leaves, more or less elastic. They differ widely in composition, and vary in color from pale brown or yellow to green or black. The transparent forms are used in lanterns, the doors of stoves, etc., being popularly called isinglass. Formerly called also cat-silver, and glimmer. [1913 Webster]

Note: The important species of the mica group are: muscovite, common or potash mica, pale brown or green, often silvery, including damourite (also called hydromica and muscovy glass); biotite, iron-magnesia mica, dark brown, green, or black; lepidomelane, iron, mica, black; phlogopite, magnesia mica, colorless, yellow, brown; lepidolite, lithia mica, rose-red, lilac. [1913 Webster] Mica (usually muscovite, also biotite) is an essential constituent of granite, gneiss, and mica slate; biotite is common in many eruptive rocks; phlogopite in crystalline limestone and serpentine. [1913 Webster]

Mica diorite (Min.), an eruptive rock allied to diorite but containing mica (biotite) instead of hornblende.

Mica powder, a kind of dynamite containing fine scales of mica.

Mica schist, Mica slate (Geol.), a schistose rock, consisting of mica and quartz with, usually, some feldspar. [1913 Webster]

Muscovite \Mus"co*vite\, n. [See Muscovy glass.]

1.A native or inhabitant of Muscovy or ancient Russia; hence, a Russian. [1913 Webster]

2.An inhabitant of Moscow. [PJC]

3.(Min.) Common potash mica, essentially KAl3Si3O10(OH)2. It is used as an electrical insulator. See Mica. [1913 Webster]