Gypsums

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A variety of mineral composed mainly of hydrated calcium sulfate, often used in construction and agriculture
2. A soft crystalline mineral, frequently utilized in plaster and drywall products, that can also enhance soil composition
3. A naturally occurring mineral that serves both as a building material and an additive for improving soil conditions in agriculture

Etymology: "Gypsums" is simply the plural of "gypsum," the mineral used in plaster and fertilizer. The noun names a substance rather than a countable object, so the plural is used mainly when speaking of several varieties or deposits of it. The base word goes back to ancient Greek "gúpsos," and it passed into Latin as "gypsum," which English then borrowed directly. Greek speakers used the term for the chalky, plaster-like stone, and the name stayed with the material through the centuries. The word is a doublet of "gesso," the white plaster ground that painters apply before gilding or painting on panels. Both descend from the same Greek source, arriving in English by different routes: "gypsum" came straight from Latin, while "gesso" came through Italian.

Synonyms: plasters, calciumsulfates