What does limestone mean?
Limestone is a sedimentary rock made mostly of calcium carbonate, a compound that commonly accumulates through the accumulation and compaction of shells, skeletons, and other remains from marine organisms. It can also form through chemical processes in water. Limestone occurs in many colors and textures, from soft chalk and cream-colored building stone to dense gray formations. In architecture and construction, it has long been valued for its durability, its availability in large blocks, and its attractive finish. It is also an important raw material for cement and is quarried for use as aggregate. The word can describe the rock in general, a specific formation, or a piece of the material. In ordinary usage, limestone is often treated as an uncountable mass noun, though plural forms are used in specialized geological contexts.
nounA sedimentary rock consisting chiefly of calcium carbonate, often formed from the compacted shells and skeletal remains of marine organisms. It is widely used in construction and can be quarried for building stone, cement, and aggregate.
- A sedimentary carbonate rock, especially one composed chiefly of calcium carbonate and commonly formed from compacted marine organisms or chemical precipitation.
"The village is built from pale local limestone, which gives its oldest buildings a warm, honey-colored appearance."
"Limestone from the quarry is cut into blocks for the restoration of the historic building."
"The farmhouse is made of thick limestone walls that remain cool during the summer."
Usually an uncountable mass noun. The plural is uncommon but can refer to distinct limestone bodies or formations, especially in geological writing.
"The study compares the limestones exposed along the mountain front."
Many famous coastlines, including the White Cliffs of Dover, are limestone made largely from the tiny remains of ancient marine life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does limestone come from?
The word is an English compound formed from “lime” and “stone.” “Lime” continues an older English noun inherited from Germanic, while the compound “limestone” developed in Middle English for calcareous material used in building and industry. Its meaning later expanded as geologists distinguished various kinds of carbonate rock and formations. Related forms such as “limy,” “limewater,” and “limewash” derive from the same older root through “lime.”
How limestone is actually used
The word is neutral in register and can refer to the material as an uncountable mass noun, to a type of rock, or, in geology, to a particular body or formation of limestone.
Easily confused with limestone
Limestone is chiefly calcium carbonate, whereas sandstone is composed mainly of sand grains cemented together.