[ spɪ'nɛl , 'spɪn(ə)l ]
■ noun a hard glassy mineral consisting chiefly of magnesium and aluminium oxides.
↘ Chemistry any of a class of similar crystalline oxides.
Origin
C16: from Fr. ~le , from Ital. ~la , dimin. of spina 'thorn'.
[ spɪ'nɛl , 'spɪn(ə)l ]
■ noun a hard glassy mineral consisting chiefly of magnesium and aluminium oxides.
↘ Chemistry any of a class of similar crystalline oxides.
Origin
C16: from Fr. ~le , from Ital. ~la , dimin. of spina 'thorn'.
Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004