calcium

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the chemical element with symbol Ca and atomic number 20, a soft, silvery, reactive alkaline-earth metal that occurs naturally only in compounds

   Calcium occurs abundantly in limestone but not as an uncombined metal.

2. 2
   noun

   calcium in food or the body, chiefly as Ca2+ ions and mineral compounds, regarded as an essential nutrient for bones, muscles, nerves, and blood clotting

   The dietitian suggested leafy greens as another source of calcium.

Common collocations

• calcium carbonate Noun + noun

Coined by Humphry Davy from Latin calx, genitive calcis ("lime, limestone") + -ium. Davy isolated the metal in 1808 from a lime-containing mixture; the name reflects calcium's abundance in limestone and lime.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images