stalactites
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Stalactites grow very slowly.
One easy way to distinguish stalactites from stalagmites is to recall that stalactites “hold tight” to the ceiling of a cave. Stalagmites “might reach the ceiling” of the cave and form a column.
Example Sentences
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These included the chemical signatures preserved in stalactites and stalagmites from two Indian caves and water level histories recorded in five lakes across northwest India.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 14, 2025
The stalactites and stalagmites of Sequoia National Park’s Crystal Cave, a sprawling subterranean wonder that’s been closed for four years, will be accessible again this summer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2025
Arching over the emerald basin are walls of stalactites dripping down the cavern ceiling, which opens to a dense jungle.
From Seattle Times ● May 30, 2024
The bow, now covered in stalactites of rust, is still instantly recognisable even 100 years after the ship was lost.
From BBC ● May 17, 2023
The light fixtures hang from the ceiling like stalactites.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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