noun Mineralogy.
- a combining form with the meanings “fluorine,” “fluoride,” used in the formation of compound words: fluorocarbon.
- a combining form with the meaning “fluorescence,” used in the formation of compound words: fluoroscopy.
noun
- another name for fluorspar
combining form
- indicating the presence of fluorinefluorocarbon
- indicating fluorescencefluoroscope
16c., and old chemistry term for “minerals which were readily fusible and useful as fluxes in smelting” [Flood], Latin fluor, originally meaning “a flowing, flow” (see fluent). Since 1771 applied to minerals containing fluorine, especially calcium fluoride (fluorspar or fluorite).
pref.
- Fluorine:fluorosis.
- Fluorescence:fluoroscope.