Calamine
/ˈkæl.ə.miːn/noun
A zinc ore or a pinkish zinc oxide used in soothing skin preparations.
Did you know?Calamine comes through French and Medieval Latin from Greek words for reed-like minerals, because some zinc ores were compared to the hollow stems of reeds rather than anything magical.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kálamos
“reed; stalk”
Late Latin
Latin
calamina
“a zinc ore, especially calamine”
Old French
French
calamine
“calamine; zinc ore”
16th Century
English
calamyne / calamine
“zinc ore used in brass-making and later in medicine”
Modern English
English
calamine
“a zinc compound or soothing topical preparation”
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