diatomaceous earth
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Wikipedia.
diatomaceous earth:
see diatomdiatom, unicellular organism of the kingdom Protista, characterized by a silica shell of often intricate and beautiful sculpturing. Most diatoms exist singly, although some join to form colonies.
..... Click the link for more information. .
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia™ Copyright © 2013, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/
diatomaceous earth
[¦dī·ə·tə¦mā·shəs ′ərth] (geology)
A yellow, white, or light-gray, siliceous, porous deposit made of the opaline shells of diatoms; used as a filter aid, paint filler, adsorbent, abrasive, and thermal insulator. Also known as kieselguhr; tripolite.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
diatomite, diatomaceous earth, kieselguhr
A white or light gray, chalky, natural siliceous material; obtained by mining deposits of fossil remains of small marine life; used as an extender in paints, as an aggregate in lightweight concrete, as a waterproofing material in portland cement, as a filter for water, and as an abrasive.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.