calcite

American  

[kal-sahyt] / ˈkæl saɪt /

noun

1. one of the commonest minerals, calcium carbonate, CaCO 3 , found in a great variety of crystalline forms: a major constituent of limestone, marble, and chalk; calc-spar.

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calcite British  

/ ˈkælsaɪt, kælˈsɪtɪk /

noun

1. a colourless or white mineral (occasionally tinged with impurities), found in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, in veins, in limestone, and in stalagmites and stalactites. It is used in the manufacture of cement, plaster, paint, glass, and fertilizer. Composition: calcium carbonate. Formula: CaCO 3 . Crystal structure: hexagonal (rhombohedral)

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calcite Scientific  

/ kăl′sīt′ /

1. A usually white, clear, pale-yellow or blue orthorhombic mineral. Calcite occurs in many different forms and is the main component of chalk, limestone, and marble. It is a polymorph of aragonite. Chemical formula: CaCO ₃ .

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Other Word Forms

• calcitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of calcite

First recorded in 1840–50; calc- + -ite ¹

Compare meaning

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

• aragonite vs. calcite

Example Sentences

"Eggshell calcite is remarkably versatile," says Dr. Tucker.

From Science Daily

These tiny algae remove carbon from seawater, release oxygen, and create delicate calcite plates that eventually sink to the ocean floor.

From Science Daily

They found that the elements could enter the eggshells via diffusion along the calcite boundaries and the organic matrix, and, at higher temperatures, that the rare earth built new minerals on the eggshell surface.

From Science Daily

The resin holds the ions needed to form calcite when water is introduced.

From Science Daily

“I was in the studio one day, working on this piece of honeycomb calcite, and I just went numb,” she recalls.

From Seattle Times