Calcification
/ˌkæl.sɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/noun
The process by which calcium salts accumulate and harden in biological tissue or other material.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin calx, meaning “lime” or “limestone,” the same root that helped give English calcium and chalk.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
calx, calcis
“Lime, limestone, or a lump of chalky stone”
Late Latin
Latin
calcificare
“To make into lime or cause to become lime-like”
Medieval Latin
Latin
calcificatio
“The process of calcifying or becoming lime-like”
17th Century
English
calcification
“The formation or deposition of lime-like mineral matter”
Modern English
English
calcification
“The hardening or mineral accumulation of calcium salts in tissue or material”