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calcareous

American  
[kal-kair-ee-uhs] / kælˈkɛər i əs /

adjective

  1. of, containing, or like calcium carbonate; chalky.

    calcareous earth.


calcareous British  
/ kælˈkɛərɪəs /

adjective

  1. of, containing, or resembling calcium carbonate; chalky

"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

calcareous Scientific  
/ kăl-kârē-əs /
  1. Composed of or containing calcium or calcium carbonate. Calcareous rocks contain as much as 50 percent calcium carbonate.


Other Word Forms

  • calcareously adverb
  • calcareousness noun
  • noncalcareous adjective
  • subcalcareous adjective
  • uncalcareous adjective

Etymology

Origin of calcareous

1670–80; variant of calcarious < Latin calcārius of lime; calx, -ary ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Diverse landscapes with good connectivity between quarries and calcareous grasslands proved to be particularly valuable.

From Science Daily

The Mediterranean coral reef, formed by the accumulation of calcareous organisms, is home to more than 1,600 marine species that have been affected by the rise of water temperatures over the last years.

From Science Daily

The researchers analysed the isotopic composition of oxygen in a stalagmite formed from calcareous water in a cave in southern Germany.

From Science Daily

Among other things, the researchers determined the isotopic and elemental composition of the calcareous shells of plankton.

From Science Daily

The permit, which Science has seen, authorized Frey to transport “two boxes containing calcareous samples with fossils, without any commercial value, with the main objective to proceed with paleontological studies” at SMNK.

From Science Magazine