Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

turmaline

turmaline


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tourmaline  \Tour"ma*line\,  n.  [F.  tourmaline,  cf  It  turmalina, 
  tormalina  NL  turmalina,  turmalinus  all  fr  tournamal  a 
  name  given  to  this  stone  in  Ceylon.]  (Min.) 
  A  mineral  occurring  usually  in  three-sided  or  six-sided 
  prisms  terminated  by  rhombohedral  or  scalenohedral  planes. 
  Black  tourmaline  (schorl)  is  the  most  common  variety,  but 
  there  are  also  other  varieties,  as  the  blue  (indicolite),  red 
  (rubellite),  also  green,  brown,  and  white.  The  red  and  green 
  varieties  when  transparent  are  valued  as  jewels.  [Written 
  also  {turmaline}  .] 
 
  Note:  Crystals  of  tourmaline  when  heated  exhibit  electric 
  polarity  (see  {Pyroelectric},  n.).  Tourmaline  is  also 
  used  in  the  form  of  a  polariscope  called  tourmaline 
  tongs. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Turmaline  \Tur"ma*line\,  n.  (Min.) 
  See  {Tourmaline}.