serpentine (redirected from Asbestos, serpentine)

ser·pen·tine  (sûrpn-tn, -tn)

adj.

1. Of or resembling a serpent, as in form or movement; sinuous.

2. Subtly sly and tempting.

n. (-tn)

Any of a group of greenish, brownish, or spotted minerals, Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄, used as a source of magnesium and asbestos, and in architecture as a decorative stone.

---

[Middle English, from Old French serpentin, from Late Latin serpentnus, from Latin serpns, serpent-, serpent; see serpent.]

---

serpentine¹

adj

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) of, relating to, or resembling a serpent

2. twisting; winding

n

(Mathematics) Maths a curve that is symmetric about the origin of and asymptotic to the x-axis

[from Late Latin serpentīnus, from serpēns serpent]

---

serpentine²

n

1. (Earth Sciences / Minerals) a dark green or brown mineral with a greasy or silky lustre, found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is used as an ornamental stone; and one variety (chrysotile) is known as asbestos. Composition: hydrated magnesium silicate. Formula: Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄ Crystal structure: monoclinic

2. (Earth Sciences / Minerals) any of a group of minerals having the general formula (Mg,Fe)₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄

[C15 serpentyn, from Medieval Latin serpentīnum serpentine¹; referring to the snakelike patterns of these minerals]

---

serpentine  (sûrpn-tn, -tn)

Any of a group of greenish, brownish, or yellowish monoclinic minerals, occurring in igneous or metamorphic rocks. They are used as a source of magnesium and asbestos. Chemical formula: (Mg,Fe)₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄.

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

serpentine - resembling a serpent in form; "a serpentine wall"; "snaky ridges in the sand" snakelike, snaky curved, curving - having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend; "the curved tusks of a walrus"; "his curved lips suggested a smile but his eyes were hard"

---

serpentine

adjective twisting, winding, snaking, crooked, coiling, meandering, tortuous, sinuous, twisty, snaky serpentine woodland pathways

Translations

serpentine [ˈsɜːpəntaɪn]

A. ADJ → serpentino

B. N (Min) → serpentina f

serpentine

adj lane, river → gewunden, mit vielen Windungen; road also → kurvenreich; garden → verschlungen

serpentine [ˈsɜːp/ənˌtaɪn] n (liter) (sinuous) → sinuoso/a