Hypertext Webster Gateway: "meerschaum"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Meerschaum \Meer"schaum\, n. [G., lit., sea foam; meer sea +
schaum foam; but it perh. is a corruption of the Tartaric
name myrsen. Cf. {Mere} a lake, and {Scum}.]
1. (Min.) A fine white claylike mineral, soft, and light
enough when in dry masses to float in water. It is a
hydrous silicate of magnesia, and is obtained chiefly in
Asia Minor. It is manufacturd into tobacco pipes, cigar
holders, etc. Also called {sepiolite}.
2. A tobacco pipe made of this mineral.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
meerschaum
n 1: a white clayey mineral [syn: {sepiolite}]
2: a pipe having a bowl made of meerschaum
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