Vermiculites

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of mineral that expands when heated, used in various insulation and gardening applications
2. A silicate mineral that can be processed for use in construction and as a lightweight soil amendment
3. An inorganic material that swells upon heating, contributing to thermal insulation and enhancing soil aeration in horticulture

Etymology: Vermiculite is named for the way it behaves under fire. Heat drives water trapped between its mineral layers into steam, which pushes the flakes apart and makes them swell into accordion-like, worm-shaped particles, many times their original volume. The name comes from Latin "vermiculus", meaning "wormlet" or little worm, a diminutive of "vermis", worm. The plural "vermiculites" simply refers to several kinds of this mineral or to separate deposits and samples of it. Like the singular, it takes its name from that worm-like expansion.