zircon earth, n.

zircon-earth
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zircon-earth_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2021

# zircon earthnoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zircon earth mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zircon earth. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

### Where does the noun zircon earth come from?

Earliest known use

late 1700s

The earliest known use of the noun zircon earth is in the late 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for zircon earth is from 1794, in the writing of J. G. Schmeisser.

### Nearby entries

1. zir, pron. 1993–
2. zir, adj. 1993–
3. ziraleet, n. 1794–
4. ziram, n. 1950–
5. zirbal, adj.?a1425–
6. zirbus, n. a1400–
7. zircaloy, n. 1953–
8. zircon, n. 1794–
9. zirconate, n. 1820–
10. zircon blue, n. & adj. 1928–
11. zircon earth, n.1794–
12. zirconia, n. 1794–
13. zirconian, adj. 1802–
14. zirconic, adj. 1804–
15. zirconite, n. 1806–
16. zirconitic, adj. 1883–
17. zirconium, n. 1808–
18. zircon-like, adj. 1857–
19. zircono-, comb. form
20. zirconolite, n. 1957–
21. zircon-syenite, n. 1813–

## Etymology

After German Zirkonerde (M. H. Klaproth 1789 in Beobachtungen und Entdeckungen aus der Naturkunde vol. III. 171); compare scientific Latin terra circonia (in the same source).

## Meaning & use

Now historical and rare. Mineralogy.

1. 1794–
   Zirconia (zirconium dioxide).
   1. 1794

      > The other three [earths], as the adamantine spar earth, circon earth, and australis, have not been yet applied to any useful purposes.

      J. G. Schmeisser, System of Mineralogy vol. I. 37
   2. 1912

      > The zircon earth is in the trade in the powdered form.

      Mineral Industry vol. 20 543
   3. 2009

      > Klaproth first named the new element Zirkonerde (zircon earth, or zirconia).

      G. Roza, Zirconium i. 8
   chemistry minerals historical
   1. zircon earth 1794–
      Zirconia (zirconium dioxide).
   2. zirconia 1794–
      A white solid, zirconium dioxide, which is made by heating zirconium compounds in contact with air and is used in ceramic glazes and…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

Originally published as part of the entry for zircon, n.

zircon, n. was revised in March 2021.