dolomite
Americannoun
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a very common mineral, calcium magnesium carbonate, CaMg(CO3 ) 2 , occurring in crystals and in masses.
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a rock consisting essentially or largely of this mineral.
noun
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a white mineral often tinted by impurities, found in sedimentary rocks and veins. It is used in the manufacture of cement and as a building stone (marble). Composition: calcium magnesium carbonate. Formula: CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 . Crystal structure: hexagonal (rhombohedral)
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a sedimentary rock resembling limestone but consisting principally of the mineral dolomite. It is an important source of magnesium and its compounds, and is used as a building material and refractory
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A gray, pink, or white rhombohedral mineral. Dolomite occurs in curved saddlelike crystals with a pearly to glassy luster. It is a common rock-forming mineral. Chemical formula: CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 .
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A sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dolomite
1785–95; < French, named after D. de Dolom ( ieu ) (1750–1801), French mineralogist; see -ite 1
Vocabulary lists containing dolomite
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.
The team placed a small dolomite crystal in a solution containing calcium and magnesium.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 20, 2026
At that rate, forming a single well-ordered layer of dolomite could take up to 10 million years.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 20, 2026
Moving into the chef’s kitchen, there are marble and dolomite countertops, a custom mosaic tile backsplash, a wine tap, and state-of-the-art appliances.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 17, 2025
Chhattisgarh, for instance, is India's sole producer of tin concentrates and moulding sand, and a leading source of coal, dolomite, bauxite and high-grade iron ore, according to the ministry of mines.
From BBC ● May 27, 2025
Upon further analysis, another geologist concluded that it might be possible to “age” the surface of a dolomite marble statue in a couple of months using potato mold.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
