concretion

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a hard, often rounded mineral mass formed by material accumulating within sediment or sedimentary rock

   The geologist split the sandstone concretion to examine its mineral core.

2. 2
   noun

   the process of particles or substances coalescing into a solid mass

   Concretion around the buried shell gradually produced a compact lump.

3. 3
   noun

   a stonelike deposit formed within the body, such as a kidney or salivary stone

   Imaging revealed a small concretion in the salivary duct.

Borrowed from French concretion and Latin concretio, 'a thickening or growing together,' from concrescere, 'to grow together.' Geological and medical uses both retain the idea of matter accumulating into a hard mass.

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