stalagmite

noun

sta·​lag·​mite stə-ˈlag-ˌmīt 

also ˈsta-ləg-

: a deposit of calcium carbonate like an inverted stalactite formed on the floor of a cave by the drip of calcareous water

stalagmitic

ˌsta-(ˌ)lag-ˈmi-tik 

stə-ˌlag-

adjective

Examples of stalagmite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Oil stalagmites emerge from the seafloor, pulled upward by their buoyancy. —Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026

At one point, Pelley climbed atop a massive stalagmite tower more than 100 feet high. —Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026

Travelers can easily spend the entire day exploring these captivating caverns, admiring the mystical stalagmites and stalactites and looking out for wildlife like bats and cougars. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026

Walking into the bath space is like being in an underground cave—without the slippery moss and dangerous stalagmites. —Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 19 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin stalagmites, from Greek stalagma drop or stalagmos dripping, from stalassein to let drip

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stalagmite

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids Definition

stalagmite

noun

sta·​lag·​mite stə-ˈlag-ˌmīt 

: a deposit of calcium carbonate like an inverted stalactite formed on the floor of a cave by the drip of water

Etymology

from scientific Latin stalagmites "stalagmite," from Greek stalagma "a drop" or Greek stalagmos "the act or result of dripping"