blende

blende  (blnd)

n.

1. Any of various shiny minerals composed chiefly of metallic sulfides.

2. See sphalerite.

---

[German, from blenden, to deceive (because it resembles lead ore), from Middle High German blenden, from Old High German blentan, to blind, deceive; see bhel-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

---

blende [blɛnd]

n

1. (Earth Sciences / Minerals) another name for sphalerite

2. (Earth Sciences / Minerals) any of several sulphide ores, such as antimony sulphide

[German Blende, from blenden to deceive, blind; so called because it is easily mistaken for galena]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

blende - an ore that is the chief source of zinc; consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form sphalerite, zinc blende atomic number 49, indium, In - a rare soft silvery metallic element; occurs in small quantities in sphalerite atomic number 81, thallium, Tl - a soft grey malleable metallic element that resembles tin but discolors on exposure to air; it is highly toxic and is used in rodent and insect poisons; occurs in zinc blende and some iron ores mineral - solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition