calcium

American  

[kal-see-uhm] / ˈkæl si əm /

noun

Chemistry, Biology.

• calciums
  plural

1. a silver-white divalent metal, occurring combined in limestone, chalk, gypsum, etc., occurring also in vertebrates and other animals, as a component of bone, skeletal mass, shell, etc., and as a necessary element in nerve conduction, heartbeat, muscle contraction, and many other physiological functions. Ca; 40.08; 20; 1.55 at 20°C.

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calcium British  

/ ˈkælsɪəm /

noun

1. a malleable silvery-white metallic element of the alkaline earth group; the fifth most abundant element in the earth's crust (3.6 per cent), occurring esp as forms of calcium carbonate. It is an essential constituent of bones and teeth and is used as a deoxidizer in steel. Symbol: Ca; atomic no: 20; atomic wt: 40.078; valency: 2; relative density: 1.55; melting pt: 842±2°C; boiling pt: 1494°C

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calcium Scientific  

/ kăl′sē-əm /

1. A silvery-white, moderately hard metallic element of the alkaline-earth group that occurs in limestone and gypsum. It is a basic component of leaves, bones, teeth, and shells, and is essential for the normal growth and development of most animals and plants. Calcium is used to make plaster, cement, and alloys. Atomic number 20; atomic weight 40.08; melting point 842 to 848°C; boiling point 1,487°C; specific gravity 1.55; valence 2.

2. See Periodic Table

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• calciums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of calcium

First recorded in 1800–10; calc- + -ium

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

calcium calciums

FA reduced the rise in intracellular calcium caused by potassium chloride.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

The results indicate that FA suppresses this process by inhibiting voltage-dependent calcium channels, reducing the calcium signals needed for the muscles to tighten.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

The material draws calcium and phosphate ions from saliva and uses them to guide the controlled formation of new mineral crystals.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026

Mice were exposed to either live or heat inactivated P. gingivalis to determine whether the bacteria accumulated in the aortic valve, increased calcium deposits, and produced symptoms consistent with aortic stenosis.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026

Every afternoon the Washington boys were compelled to choke down first a glass of a chalky-tasting pink calcium solution, then a glass of Knox Sparkling Gelatine.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

The picture is built up bit by bit; it is never flashed suddenly and completely as by best-seller calciums; it remains a bit dim at the end.

From A Book of Prefaces by Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis)

It appears to me that one of the calciums had flared up and the sparks ignited the lint on the curtain.

From Chicago's Awful Theater Horror by Various

"I'll take the centre of the stage, and you will order calciums for one!"

From Vignettes of Manhattan; Outlines in Local Color by Matthews, Brander

The calciums had gradually been turning to the blue of moonlight, and now, at the back of the stage, Venus arose, veiled in a mist of foam.

From The Title Market by Soper, J. H. Gardner