We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. This website uses cookies that provide targeted advertising and which track your use of this website. By clicking ‘continue’ or by continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.ContinueFind out more
1A soft white claylike material consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate, found chiefly in Turkey.
1.1A tobacco pipe with a bowl made from meerschaum.
‘The Honourable Sir Ralph Mountharten sharply rapped his meerschaum pipe against the surface of his mahogany writing desk.’
‘The biggest surprise was Everett's Holmes: a compelling, brilliant, darkly original character, much closer to the original stories than to the deerstalkers and meerschaums and Basil Rathbone.’
‘Well, donning my deerstalker and lighting my meerschaum I'd start at the bottom.’
‘Like Dupin, Dr. Bender smokes a meerschaum pipe, filled with cheap tobacco.’
Late 18th century: from German, literally ‘sea foam’, from Meer ‘sea’ + Schaum ‘foam’, translation of Persian kef-i-daryā (alluding to the frothy appearance of the silicate).