calamine

[ kal-uh-mahyn, -min ]

noun
  1. a pink, water-insoluble powder consisting of zinc oxide and about 0.5 percent ferric oxide, used in ointments, lotions, or the like, for the treatment of inflammatory conditions of the skin.

  2. Mineralogy. hemimorphite.

  1. Chiefly British. smithsonite.

Origin of calamine

1
1595–1605; <Medieval Latin calamīna, unexplained alteration of Latin cadmiacadmium; see -ine1

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British Dictionary definitions for calamine

calamine

/ (ˈkæləˌmaɪn) /


noun
  1. a pink powder consisting of zinc oxide and ferric oxide, (iron(III) oxide), used medicinally in the form of soothing lotions or ointments

  2. US another name for smithsonite, hemimorphite

Origin of calamine

1
C17: from Old French, from Medieval Latin calamīna, from Latin cadmīa; see cadmium

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