Căl'cite, n.

n. [Lat. calx, lime.] (Min.) Carbonate of lime, consisting of lime and carbonic acid. It is rhombohedral in its crystallization, and thus distinguished from arragonite. It includes common limestone, with all the white and most of the colored marbles. It is called also calc-spar.

Calc-sinter and calc-tufa, loose or porous varieties formed in caverns or wet grounds from calcareous deposits; stalactite and stalagmite are varieties formed from the drippings in caverns. Dana.