caliche
noun
ca·li·che
kə-ˈlē-chē 
1
: the nitrate-bearing gravel or rock of the sodium nitrate deposits of Chile and Peru
2
: a crust of calcium carbonate that forms on the stony soil of arid regions
Examples of caliche in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Also noteworthy is the island’s caliche forest, a ghostly collection of calcified prehistoric plants.
—
Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 6 Jan. 2025
The tortoise in the coal mine Biologist Bre Moyle easily spotted the small yellow flag affixed to a scraggly creosote bush — one of many hardy plants sprouting from the caliche soil, surrounded by rows of gleaming steel trusses that would soon hoist solar panels toward the sky.
—Sammy Roth, Anchorage Daily News, 2 July 2023
When Skeet Jones was sworn in as judge in 2007, most of the caliche roads were rutted like washboards and residents still had to line up to get potable water dispensed from a community tank.
—Susan Carroll, NBC News, 21 May 2022
The caliche road leads up to Hendrix’s small living quarters and spacious rustic areas used for workshops, concerts, performances and teaching.
—Hector Saldana, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Oct. 2021
Later that same year, the Valley again attracted widespread attention when 21 teenagers were killed in Alton after a school bus collided with a bottling company truck and careened into a caliche pit.
—Gilbert Garcia, ExpressNews.com, 5 Dec. 2020
Today, through Woodward’s efforts, the gravel road to the crossing has been improved and a large area has been cleared and covered with caliche.
—John MacCormack, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Nov. 2020
His home is about 20 miles from downtown Odessa, on an unmarked caliche road off of the Kermit Highway, amid nodding pump jacks and property covered with sage, mesquite and huisache trees.
—John MacCormack, ExpressNews.com, 2 Sep. 2019
Located across the street from partner The Venetian Resort, approximately 110,000 cubic yards of dirt and caliche are being moved to make way for what will be one of the most state-of-the-art live entertainment and sports complexes in the world.
—Melinda Sheckells, Billboard, 24 July 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 6 Jan. 2025
The tortoise in the coal mine Biologist Bre Moyle easily spotted the small yellow flag affixed to a scraggly creosote bush — one of many hardy plants sprouting from the caliche soil, surrounded by rows of gleaming steel trusses that would soon hoist solar panels toward the sky.
—Sammy Roth, Anchorage Daily News, 2 July 2023
When Skeet Jones was sworn in as judge in 2007, most of the caliche roads were rutted like washboards and residents still had to line up to get potable water dispensed from a community tank.
—Susan Carroll, NBC News, 21 May 2022
The caliche road leads up to Hendrix’s small living quarters and spacious rustic areas used for workshops, concerts, performances and teaching.
—Hector Saldana, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Oct. 2021
Later that same year, the Valley again attracted widespread attention when 21 teenagers were killed in Alton after a school bus collided with a bottling company truck and careened into a caliche pit.
—Gilbert Garcia, ExpressNews.com, 5 Dec. 2020
Today, through Woodward’s efforts, the gravel road to the crossing has been improved and a large area has been cleared and covered with caliche.
—John MacCormack, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Nov. 2020
His home is about 20 miles from downtown Odessa, on an unmarked caliche road off of the Kermit Highway, amid nodding pump jacks and property covered with sage, mesquite and huisache trees.
—John MacCormack, ExpressNews.com, 2 Sep. 2019
Located across the street from partner The Venetian Resort, approximately 110,000 cubic yards of dirt and caliche are being moved to make way for what will be one of the most state-of-the-art live entertainment and sports complexes in the world.
—Melinda Sheckells, Billboard, 24 July 2019
Cite this Entry
“Caliche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caliche. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share