gypsum

play

noun gyp·sum \ ˈjip-səm \

Definition of gypsum

1 :a widely distributed mineral consisting of hydrous calcium sulfate that is used especially as a soil amendment and in making plaster of paris

2 :drywall

See gypsum defined for English-language learners

See gypsum defined for kids

Recent Examples of gypsum from the Web

Garcia used to earn about $50,000 a year doing electrical work at a nearby gypsum mine.

— amy goldstein, Washington Post, "In an arid, lonely stretch out west, the health coverage that bloomed is now at risk," 16 July 2017
Standing near large grinders that tower over employees, Heiss explains that gypsum is ground into finer particles as part of the production process.

— mike nolan, Daily Southtown, "Dental products firm expands facility in Alsip," 10 July 2017
Georgia-Pacific made plywood, lumber and gypsum building panels used in everything from apartment buildings to new restaurants.

— christopher leonard, chicagotribune.com, "A look at how Koch does business," 5 July 2017
Hydrogen sulfide is a flammable, hazardous gas, and a byproduct of rainwater percolating with gypsum drywall disposed at the dump, said Jim Riffle of Auburn Environmental.

— james f. mccarty, cleveland.com, "Ohio sues East Cleveland dump owners, seeking $6 million for cleanup, monitoring work," 7 June 2017
Recently in Mexico, scientists woke up microbes that were dormant for as long as 50,000 years in giant gypsum crystals.

— joanna klein, New York Times, "What Moves Gravel-Size Gypsum Crystals Around the Desert?," 21 Apr. 2017
Wear a dust mask when sanding to block airborne gypsum and silica particles.

— merle henkenius, Popular Mechanics, "How to Repair Drywall," 8 Feb. 2017
Other soils have a high amount of sulfates, a compound found in the common mineral gypsum that breaks down both metals and concrete.

— maya wei-haas, Smithsonian, "What Geology Has to Say About Building a 1,000-Mile Border Wall," 7 Feb. 2017
Lime and gypsum are sprinkled around the portions of the worksite still covered with dirt to speed up drying after a storm, after which the area is covered with sand, which isn’t affected by the rain.

— jeff collins, Orange County Register, "These Orange County businesses thrive in the rain, while others barely survive," 24 Jan. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of gypsum

Latin, from Greek gypsos

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

GYPSUM Defined for English Language Learners

gypsum

play

noun

Definition of gypsum for English Language Learners

: a white mineral that is used to make plaster of paris

Medical Dictionary

gypsum

play

noun gyp·sum \ ˈjip-səm \

medical Definition of gypsum

:a widely distributed mineral CaSO₄·2H₂O consisting of hydrous calcium sulfate that is used especially as a soil amendment and in making plaster of paris

Learn More about gypsum

Spanish Central: Translation of gypsum Nglish: Translation of gypsum for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of gypsum for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gypsum

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up gypsum? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

gypsum

Definition of gypsum

Recent Examples of gypsum from the Web

Origin and Etymology of gypsum

GYPSUM Defined for English Language Learners

gypsum

Definition of gypsum for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

gypsum

medical Definition of gypsum

Learn More about gypsum

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

legerity

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Let's Talk 'Tea'

8 Words and Phrases from Boxing and Wrestling

The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Spell It

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066

gypsum

Definition of gypsum

Explore Merriam-Webster

Recent Examples of gypsum from the Web

Origin and Etymology of gypsum

GYPSUM Defined for English Language Learners

gypsum

Definition of gypsum for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

gypsum

medical Definition of gypsum

Learn More about gypsum

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066