: a bluish-gray cubic mineral with metallic luster consisting of lead sulfide and constituting the principal ore of lead
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebGlass vessels, highly decorative pottery, jewelry and evidence of cosmetics -- as the mineral galena, which was crushed and mixed with oil to create makeup -- was also discovered. Jeevan Ravindran, CNN, 11 Jan. 2022 The most abundant naturally occurring form of lead is in galena, a lustrous metallic mineral made of lead and silver. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 18 Nov. 2019 This corresponds to the spread of Phoenician traders and settlers from their home cities in the Levant into the western Mediterranean, and the consequent exploitation of galena mines in Iberia.The Economist, 19 May 2018 Extracting silver from galena involves boiling off the lead.The Economist, 19 May 2018 In addition to the giant trilobite, the design includes the state mineral (galena), a microscope, nautiloid shell, stone spearpoint, and a glass jar for all the dinosaur bones found in Wisconsin. Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10 Oct. 2017
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin galēna, of obscure origin
First Known Use
1671, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
galena
noun
ga·le·na gə-ˈlē-nə
: a bluish gray mineral that is the ore from which lead is obtained