calcite

noun

cal·​cite ˈkal-ˌsīt How to pronounce calcite (audio)
: a mineral CaCO3 consisting of calcium carbonate crystallized in hexagonal form and including common limestone, chalk, and marble compare aragonite
calcitic adjective

Examples of calcite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Highlights of the five-night trip include seeing the cave’s own rainforest and a calcite wall called the Great Wall of Vietnam. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2025 The toughness comes from the egg shell's structure; it is made up mostly of calcium carbonate (calcite) crystals, similar to tooth enamel or sea shells, embedded within a protein matrix. Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2025 As chronicled in Episode 8, a calculated massacre of hundreds of locals has taken place, to distract from — and ultimately justify — the Empire’s aggressive and eventually calamitous extraction of valuable calcite from Ghorman. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 May 2025 Long-Term Burial: Calcium carbonate mineral precursors, such as calcite, undergo transformation into dolomite after being buried, facilitated by slowly rising temperatures (ranging between 60 to 100 degrees Celsius) underground. David Bressan, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for calcite

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of calcite was in 1840

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Calcite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calcite. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

calcite

noun
cal·​cite ˈkal-ˌsīt How to pronounce calcite (audio)
: a mineral substance made up of calcium carbonate and found in numerous forms including limestone, chalk, and marble
calcitic adjective

Medical Definition

calcite

noun
cal·​cite ˈkal-ˌsīt How to pronounce calcite (audio)
: a mineral CaCO3 consisting of calcium carbonate crystallized in hexagonal form and including common limestone, chalk, and marble
calcitic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on calcite

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