mica

[mahy-kuh] /ˈmaɪ kə/
noun
1.
any member of a group of minerals, hydrous silicates of aluminum with other bases, chiefly potassium, magnesium, iron, and lithium, that separate readily into thin, tough, often transparent, and usually elastic laminae; isinglass.
Origin
1700-10; < Latin mīca crumb, morsel, grain
Related forms
micalike, adjective
Examples from the web for mica
  • Heinz's group used mica, a silicate mineral that can be cleaved to produce smooth surfaces many microns across.
  • It's got an up-to-date look- rectangular, and covered with marble-look tiles made of walnut and mica.
  • Again, it's got an up-to-date look- rectangular, and covered with marble-look tiles made of walnut and mica.
  • In this case the mica, not a conscious being, is the object that transforms what might happen into what does happen.
British Dictionary definitions for mica

mica

/ˈmaɪkə/
noun
1.
any of a group of lustrous rock-forming minerals consisting of hydrous silicates of aluminium, potassium, etc, in monoclinic crystalline form, occurring in igneous and metamorphic rock. Because of their resistance to electricity and heat they are used as dielectrics, in heating elements, etc
Derived Forms
micaceous (maɪˈkeɪʃəs) adjective
Word Origin
C18: from Latin: grain, morsel
Word Origin and History for mica
n.

1706, from specialized use of Latin mica "crumb, bit, morsel, grain," originally *smika (form probably influenced by Latin micare "to flash, glitter"), from PIE *smik- "small" (cf. Greek smikros, Attic mikros "small;" Old High German smahi "littleness"). Related: Micaceous "containing mica."

mica in Science
mica
  (mī'kə)   
Any of a group of hydrous aluminosilicate minerals with the general formula (K,Na,Ca)(Mg,Fe,Li,Al)2-3(Al,Si)4O10(OH,F)2that can be split easily into thin, partly transparent sheets. Mica is common in igneous and metamorphic rocks and often occurs as flakes or sheets. It is highly resistant to heat and is used in electric fuses and other electrical equipment. Muscovite and biotite are types of mica
Related Abbreviations for mica

MICA

  1. medical intensive care unit
  2. mentally ill chemical abuser
  3. mentally ill chronic abuser
  4. modem ISDN channel aggregation