Calcium

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkælsi.əm/

Definitions

  1. A soft, silvery-white metallic element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20, first isolated by Humphry Davy in 1808 ; a critical nutrient for plants and animals, supporting bone development and cell signaling
  2. A silvery-white metal (symbol Ca, atomic number 20) identified by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808; commonly found in dairy products as a nutrient; also used to describe a mineral supplement providing this essential element
  3. An important chemical element with symbol Ca and atomic number 20, notable for its role in forming limestone and chalk; frequently referenced in nutrition; can also mean a tablet or powder containing this mineral
  4. A metallic element with symbol Ca and atomic number 20, first isolated by Humphry Davy; also denotes compounds or ions containing this element ; commonly used to refer to dietary sources important for bone health
  5. A soft, silvery earth metal with symbol Ca and atomic number 20, discovered in 1808 by Davy; can signify substances or supplements containing this mineral ; often refers to a vital nutrient derived from food

Etymology: Humphry Davy first isolated calcium in 1808, but the element got its name from the rock it came from. Davy, a British chemist, was working with lime, the substance made by heating limestone, and he derived the name from Latin "calx," meaning lime or limestone. Calcium turns up throughout limestone, which is why the name points so directly at that rock. The word's pieces show the reasoning. "Calc-" comes from "calx," while "-ium" is the standard ending Davy gave to new metallic elements, following the pattern of names like potassium and sodium that he had also been involved in discovering. The "-ium" ending is a learned coinage rather than something inherited from ancient speech, so the name is a modern invention built on an old word. Behind "calx" lies an older Greek noun, "khalix," meaning a small pebble or limestone chip, and that Greek word is the one that ties the element's name to the small stone it was named for.

Synonyms: Ca, calciferol source, alkaline earth metal