aragonite

American  

[uh-rag-uh-nahyt, ar-uh-guh-] / əˈræg əˌnaɪt, ˈær ə gə- /

noun

1. a mineral, orthorhombic calcium carbonate, CaCO 3 , chemically identical with calcite but differing in crystallization and in having a higher specific gravity and less marked cleavage.

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aragonite British  

/ əˈræɡəˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a generally white or grey mineral, found in sedimentary rocks and as deposits from hot springs. Composition: calcium carbonate. Formula: CaCO 3 . Crystal structure: orthorhombic

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aragonite Scientific  

/ ə-răg′ə-nīt′,ăr′ə-gə- /

1. A usually white, yellowish, or pink orthorhombic mineral that can occur in many different colors. Aragonite occurs as acicular (needlelike) or tabular crystals, or as fibrous aggregates. It is found in gypsum deposits, at the tips of calcite crystals, in mollusk shells and pearls, and in living reef structures. It is a polymorph of calcite. Chemical formula: CaCO ₃ .

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Etymology

Origin of aragonite

1795–1805; named after Aragon (the province, where first found) + -ite ¹

Compare meaning

How does aragonite compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• aragonite vs. calcite

Example Sentences

Under a microscope, most of the heart cockle's shell has a layered structure, with thin plates of aragonite stacked in different orientations, "kind of like fancy brickwork," McCoy said.

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2024

The mollusc deposits layers of aragonite and conchiolin, which together form nacre, also know as mother-of-pearl.

From BBC • Sep. 5, 2022

This estimate provides evidence that near-future reductions in the aragonite saturation state will compromise the ecosystem function of coral reefs.

From Nature • Mar. 13, 2018

Calcite is often precipitated by organisms as a polymorph called aragonite.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

I didn't want a little brown aragonite figurine of T. rex, with its mouth open and its teeth bared, nor did I want the Dinosaurs of the Cretaceous Period poster.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English