AMIANTHUS

AMIANTH'US, noun [Gr. of a neg. and to pollute, or vitiate; so called from its incombustibility. Plin. 36. 19.]Earth-flax, or mountain flax; a mineral substance somewhat resembling flax; usually grayish, or of a greenish white; sometimes of a yellowish or silvery white, olive or mountain green, of a pale flesh red or ocher color. It is composed of delicate filaments, very flexible and somewhat elastic, often long and resembling threads of silk. It is incombustible, and has sometimes been wrought into cloth and paper.

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Am′i‐an″thus (�), n. [[L. amiantus, Gr. � � (lit., unsoiled stone) a greenish stone, like asbestus; ἀ priv. + � to stain, to defile; so called from its incombustibility.]] (Min.) Earth flax, or mountain flax; a soft silky variety of asbestus.