Mica
/ˈmaɪ.kə/noun
A group of silicate minerals that split into thin, shiny sheets.
Did you know?The name was used in medieval Latin for a sparkling, crumbly substance, and the same root also gave English the word “migrate,” originally tied to moving or “shifting.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mei-
“to change, move, or shift”
Latin
Latin
micare
“to flash, sparkle, twinkle; also to move quickly”
Late Latin
Latin
mica
“a crumb, morsel; later a sparkling particle or flake”
Medieval Latin
Latin
mica
“a glittering mineral that splits into thin flakes”
16th Century
English
mica
“the mineral mica, named from Latin for its crumb-like flakes”
Modern English
English
mica
“a group of sheet silicate minerals”
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