amianthus
[ am-ee-an-thuh s ]
/ ˌæm iˈæn θəs /
noun Mineralogy.
a fine variety of asbestos, with delicate, flexible filaments.
Origin of amianthus
1660–70; < Latin
amiantus < Greek
amíantos, equivalent to
a-
a-6 +
mian- (stem of
miaínein to defile, make impure) +
-tos verbal adjective suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM amianthus
am·i·an·thine [am-ee-an-thuh n, -thahyn] /ˌæm iˈæn θən, -θaɪn/, adjective am·i·an·thoid, am·i·an·thoi·dal, adjectiveWords nearby amianthus
amharic,
amherst,
ami,
amiable,
amianthoid,
amianthus,
amic,
amicable,
amicable number,
amice,
amicheme
Example sentences from the Web for amianthus
What store of Amianthus there is in Cyprus; and how they work it?
The Chinese and the Corsicans blend the fibres of amianthus in their pottery to give it tenacity.
Medical Essays |Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
British Dictionary definitions for amianthus
amianthus
/ (ˌæmɪˈænθəs) /
noun
any of the fine silky varieties of asbestos
Derived forms of amianthus
amianthine, amianthoid or amianthoidal, adjectiveWord Origin for amianthus
C17: from Latin
amiantus, from Greek
amiantos unsullied, from
a-
1 +
miainein to pollute