gypsum

[ jip-suhm ]
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noun
  1. a very common mineral, hydrated calcium sulfate, CaSO4⋅2H2O, occurring in crystals and in masses, soft enough to be scratched by the fingernail: used to make plaster of Paris, as an ornamental material, as a fertilizer, etc.

Origin of gypsum

1
1640–50; <Latin: chalk <Greek gýpsos chalk, gypsum

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British Dictionary definitions for gypsum

gypsum

/ (ˈdʒɪpsəm) /


noun
  1. a colourless or white mineral sometimes tinted by impurities, found in beds as an evaporite. It is used in the manufacture of plaster of Paris, cement, paint, school chalk, glass, and fertilizer. Composition: hydrated calcium sulphate. Formula: CaSO 4 .2H 2 O. Crystal structure: monoclinic

Origin of gypsum

1
C17: from Latin, from Greek gupsos chalk, plaster, cement, of Semitic origin

Derived forms of gypsum

  • gypseous (ˈdʒɪpsɪəs), adjective
  • gypsiferous (dʒɪpˈsɪfərəs), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for gypsum

gypsum

[ jĭpsəm ]


  1. A colorless, white, or pinkish mineral. Gypsum occurs as individual blade-shaped crystals or as massive beds in sedimentary rocks, especially those formed through the evaporation of saline-rich water. It is used in manufacturing plasterboard, cement, and fertilizers. Chemical formula: CaSO4·2H2O.

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