clay mineral

noun

: any of a group of hydrous silicates of aluminum and sometimes other metals formed chiefly in weathering processes and occurring especially in clay and shale

Examples of clay mineral 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.
The rubble could then come together, forming Neptune's inner moons, with the clay minerals exposed on their surfaces. — Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 3 Aug. 2026 The clay minerals were blended with graphene — a highly conductive, ultra-thin form of carbon. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 June 2026 Curiosity drilled the clay mineral-containing sandstone sample in 2020, pulverized it and placed it within the SAM, or Sample Analysis at Mars, instrument, located in the rover’s belly. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026 Such conditions accelerate the weathering processes that release metals from the bedrock and enhance the enrichment of metals in clay minerals. — David Bressan, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for clay mineral

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clay mineral was in 1937

Browse Nearby Words

clay mill
clay mineral
claymore
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clay mineral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clay%20mineral. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on clay mineral

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clay mineral

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All