Meanings
nounbentonite (countable and uncountable, plural bentonites)
plural bentonites
- countableuncountablechemistryAny of several impure clay minerals consisting mostly of montmorillonite.
- countableuncountableA porous clay formed by the decomposition of volcanic ash that swells 5 to 6 times its original volume in the presence of water.
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
E558 when used as an anti-caking agent
Also see
Origin
From Benton + -ite, after the place where it was first mined: Fort Benton, Montana.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan bentonita
- bentonitaTranslations
Dutch bentoniet
- bentonietTranslations
Finnish bentoniitti
- bentoniittiTranslations
French bentonite
- bentoniteTranslations
Italian bentonite
- bentoniteTranslations
Polish bentonit
- bentonitTranslations
Cite this entry
APA
bentonite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bentonite
MLA
“bentonite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bentonite. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bentonite,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bentonite.
Source: bentonite on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.