calcium carbonate

American  

noun

1. a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, tasteless powder, CaCO 3 , occurring in nature in various forms, as calcite, chalk, and limestone: used chiefly in dentifrices and polishes and in the manufacture of lime and cement.

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calcium carbonate British  

noun

1. a white crystalline salt occurring in limestone, chalk, marble, calcite, coral, and pearl: used in the production of lime and cement. Formula: CaCO 3

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calcium carbonate Scientific  

1. A white or colorless crystalline compound occurring naturally in chalk, limestone, and marble and in the minerals calcite and aragonite. It is used to make toothpaste, white paint, and cleaning powder. Chemical formula: CaCO ₃ .

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Etymology

Origin of calcium carbonate

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

calcium carbonate

"There are mandatory vitamins and minerals which manufacturers in the UK are required to add to white wheat flour such as calcium carbonate, niacin and thiamin," she says.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Coral can live for decades or centuries, and they form a skeleton of calcium carbonate layers as they grow, kind of like rings on a tree.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

The sodium carbonate can also be transformed into calcium carbonate through a straightforward recovery process.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

The researchers point out that much of the calcium carbonate produced by plankton does not sink all the way to the ocean floor.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 8, 2026

“Oh, stuff like magnesium salts, and alcohol for keeping the Deltas and Epsilons small and backward, and calcium carbonate for bones, and all that sort of thing.”

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley