graphite
[ graf-ahyt ]
/ ˈgræf aɪt /
noun
a very common mineral, soft native carbon, occurring in black to dark-gray foliated masses, with metallic luster and greasy feel: used for pencil leads, as a lubricant, and for making crucibles and other refractories; plumbago; black lead.
Origin of graphite
OTHER WORDS FROM graphite
gra·phit·ic [gruh-fit-ik] /grəˈfɪt ɪk/, adjective non·gra·phit·ic, adjectiveWords nearby graphite
Example sentences from the Web for graphite
British Dictionary definitions for graphite
graphite
/ (ˈɡræfaɪt) /
noun
a blackish soft allotropic form of carbon in hexagonal crystalline form: used in pencils, crucibles, and electrodes, as a lubricant, as a moderator in nuclear reactors, and, in a carbon fibre form, as a tough lightweight material for sporting equipment
Also called: plumbago
Derived forms of graphite
graphitic (ɡrəˈfɪtɪk), adjectiveWord Origin for graphite
C18: from German
Graphit; from Greek
graphein to write +
-ite
1
Scientific definitions for graphite
graphite
[ grăf′īt′ ]
A naturally occurring, steel-gray to black, crystalline form of carbon. The carbon atoms in graphite are strongly bonded together in sheets. Because the bonds between the sheets are weak, other atoms can easily fit between them, causing graphite to be soft and slippery to the touch. Graphite is used in pencils and paints and as a lubricant and electrode. It is also used to control chain reactions in nuclear reactors because of its ability to absorb neutrons.