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graphite

Pronunciation: /ˈgrafʌɪt/
Translate graphite | into Italian
Definition of graphite

noun

[mass noun]
  • a grey crystalline allotropic form of carbon which occurs as a mineral in some rocks and can be made from coke. It is used as a solid lubricant, in pencils, and as a moderator in nuclear reactors.

Derivatives

graphitic

Pronunciation: /-ˈfɪtɪk/
adjective

Origin:

late 18th century: coined in German (Graphit), from Greek graphein 'write' (because of its use as pencil ‘lead’)

graphite in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of graphite in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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