The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. An uncommon, white, vitreous natural fluoride of aluminum and sodium, Na3AlF6, nearly invisible in water in powdered form and used chiefly in the electrolytic recovery of aluminum. Also called Greenland spar.
n. The mineral sodium aluminium fluoride (Na3AlF6).
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. A fluoride of sodium and aluminum, found in Greenland, in white cleavable masses; -- used as a source of soda and alumina.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. A fluorid of sodium and aluminium found in Greenland, where it forms an extensive bed.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. a white mineral consisting of fluorides of aluminum and sodium; a source of fluorine
Word Usage
"At the smelter, the aluminum oxide crystals are dissolved in a bath of something called cryolite (sodium aluminum fluoride) and zapped with enormous jolts of electricity (100,000 to 150,000 amps), which strips the oxygen from the aluminum."