n. Any of a group of widely occurring yellowish-brown to black iron oxide minerals, essentially FeO(OH)·nH2O, used as a minor ore of iron. [Originally, bog iron ore, from German Limonit (coined on the model of German Wiesenerz : Wiesen, meadow + Erz, ore) : Greek leimōn, meadow, moist grassy place (of unknown origin) + German -it, -ite (from Latin -ītēs; see -ITE1).] li′mo·nitic (-nĭtĭk) adj. |
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