calcium

noun, often attributive cal·ci·um \ ˈkal-sē-əm \

|Updated on: 6 Jul 2018

Definition of calcium

: a silver-white divalent metallic element of the alkaline-earth group occurring only in combination — see Chemical Elements Table

See calcium defined for English-language learners

See calcium defined for kids

Examples of calcium in a Sentence

Her doctor said she should eat more foods that are high in calcium, such as milk and cheese.

Recent Examples of calcium from the Web

Nutrition | Per serving: 235 calories; 16 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 8 mg cholesterol; 9 g protein; 17 g carbohydrate; 10 g sugar; 6 g fiber; 263 mg sodium; 92 mg calcium.

— daniel neman, sacbee, "Main dishes? Fruit is not forbidden," 26 June 2018
The plants cannot use the soil’s calcium unless the soil is moist.

— margaret lauterbach, idahostatesman, "With drought always a threat, we all need to learn our water lessons," 16 June 2018
Crickets pack more protein than beef, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach and as many fatty acids as salmon.

— carl engelking, Discover Magazine, "A New Animal Farm," 12 June 2018
Fransen said Atlas appears a bit malnourished and shows signs of calcium deficiency, a common issue for the species.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Naperville couple finds their lost pet tortoise, rescues another," 5 June 2018
Crickets contain essential amino acids and are high in nutrients such as omega-3s, calcium and iron.

— jen skerritt, Bloomberg.com, "Cricket Muffins, Anyone? Canadian Food Giant Bets on Insects," 11 Apr. 2018
Today, piping hot 104-degree water rich in sulfate, calcium, bicarbonate, and magnesium flows into Miette’s pair of voluminous pools, which are walled by mountain slopes frequented by bighorn sheep.

— daniel otis, Sunset, "Top Wow Spots of Banff & Jasper National Parks," 22 Jan. 2018
By calculating the ratio of calcium to strontium in each layer of a coral core, researchers can determine what the ocean temperature was when that layer was created.

— elizabeth svoboda, Scientific American, "Cores from Coral Reefs Hold Secrets of the Seas’ Past and Future," 6 June 2018
Cocktails include vitamin C, B12, magnesium, calcium, B5, glutamine, zinc, arginine, glutathione, or lysine.

— amy bartner, Indianapolis Star, "Hungover? This place on Mass Ave. will inject you with a remedy," 31 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'calcium.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of calcium

New Latin, from Latin calc-, calx lime

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1808

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

CALCIUM Defined for English Language Learners

calcium

noun

Definition of calcium for English Language Learners

: a substance that is found in most plants and animals and that is especially important in people for strong healthy bones

CALCIUM Defined for Kids

calcium

noun cal·ci·um \ ˈkal-sē-əm \

Definition of calcium for Students

: a silvery soft metallic chemical element that is essential for strong healthy bones

Medical Dictionary

calcium

noun, often attributive cal·ci·um \ ˈkal-sē-əm \

medical Definition of calcium

: a silver-white bivalent metallic element that is an alkaline earth metal, occurs only in combination, and is an essential constituent of most plants and animals —symbol Ca — see Chemical Elements Table