calcareous

American  

[kal-kair-ee-uhs] / kælˈkɛər i əs /

adjective

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

   calcareous earth.

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calcareous British  

/ kælˈkɛərɪəs /

adjective

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

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calcareous Scientific  

/ kăl-kâr′ē-əs /

1. Composed of or containing calcium or calcium carbonate. Calcareous rocks contain as much as 50 percent calcium carbonate.

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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

Many calcareous plankton species that normally sink to the ocean floor disappeared during the extinction event.

From Science Daily

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