diatomite

noun

di·​at·​o·​mite dī-ˈa-tə-ˌmīt How to pronounce diatomite (audio)

Examples of diatomite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Behl said the diatomite tells him that the area was nutrient rich with algae that supported a complex ecosystem including dolphins, fish and whales that crowded the area for food. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2024 Few chemistry experiments conducted in the 19th century shaped the infrastructure of the world as profoundly as Nobel’s mixture of nitroglycerin and diatomite. Steven Johnson, New York Times, 17 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of diatomite was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near diatomite

Cite this Entry

“Diatomite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diatomite. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

diatomite

noun
di·​at·​o·​mite dī-ˈat-ə-ˌmīt How to pronounce diatomite (audio)

Medical Definition

diatomite

noun
di·​at·​o·​mite dī-ˈat-ə-ˌmīt How to pronounce diatomite (audio)
: a light friable siliceous material derived chiefly from diatom remains and used especially as a filter

called also diatomaceous earth

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