CALCITE

calcite

(noun) a common mineral consisting of crystallized calcium carbonate; a major constituent of limestone

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

calcite (countable and uncountable, plural calcites)

(geology) a very widely distributed crystalline form of calcium carbonate, CaCO₃, found as limestone, chalk and marble

Coordinate terms

(rock formations formed from calcite)

• cave pearl

• flowstone

• rimstone

• stalactite

• stalagmite

Anagrams

• lectica

Source: Wiktionary

Cal"cite, n. Etym: [L. calx, calcis, lime.] (Min.)

Definition: Calcium carbonate, or carbonate of lime. It is rhombohedral in its crystallization, and thus distinguished from aragonite. It includes common limestone, chalk, and marble. Called also calc-spar and calcareous spar.

Note: Argentine is a pearly lamellar variety; aphrite is foliated or chalklike; dogtooth spar, a form in acute rhombohedral or scalenohedral crystals; calc-sinter and calc-tufa are lose or porous varieties formed in caverns or wet grounds from calcareous deposits; agaric mineral is a soft, white friable variety of similar origin; stalaclite and stalagmite are varieties formed from the drillings in caverns. Iceland spar is a transparent variety, exhibiting the strong double refraction of the species, and hence is called doubly refracting spar.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition