micaceous

From mica +‎ -aceous. From Latin mīca (“grain, crumb”). Often erroneously associated with Latin micō (“to twinkle, glitter”) and hence with English micacious.

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  Rhymes: -eɪʃəs

micaceous (comparative more micaceous, superlative most micaceous)

1. Of, pertaining to, consisting of, containing or resembling mica.
   • 1983, Warren C. Day, Richard M. Tosdal, E.L. Acosta, J.C. Aruspon, L. Carvajal, E. Cedeño, Glenda Lowry, L.F. Martinez, J.A. Noriega, Fernanco J. Niñez, J. Rojas, F. Prieto, “Geology of the Lo Indreíble Mining District and U-Pb Age of the Early Proterozoic Yuruari Formation of the Pastora Supergroup, Guayana Shield, Venezuela”, in U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, numbers 2122-2127, page E-12:

     Formation of alteration minerals in the host rock during deformation within the shear zone is indicated by the parallel foliation within the secondary micaceous minerals and the unmineralized host schist.

   • 1999, Jonathan C. H. King, First Peoples, First Contacts: Native Peoples of North America, page 138:

     Apart from the two or three bird masks, the only other zoomorphic mask was a wolf frontlet of cedar decorated in micaceous black paint with dentalium teeth, dentalium being an important form of wealth with some of the attributes of a currency.

   • 1999, Duane Anderson, The Emergence of Native American Micaceous Art Pottery in Northern New Mexico, page 36:

     In AD 1500, it would appear, the Apache and Pueblo micaceous pottery traditions were separate, if not independent, developments, and thus both Felipe Ortega and Sharon Dryflower Reyna may be correct.

2. (figuratively) sparkling; brilliant

   The book review was a micaceous example of perfection.