Okuzeka
Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Rocks & Minerals

Limestone

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

/ˈlaɪmstoʊn/nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, limestone means: A sedimentary rock made mostly of calcium carbonate in the form of the mineral calcite, often built from the shells and skeletons of sea creatures.

In Turkish: kireçtaşı, kalker

How it is used

Very common in Turkey, especially in the Taurus Mountains. In the field, geologists test it with a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid: limestone fizzes. It dissolves slowly in rainwater, forming caves and karst landscapes, and is used to make cement.

Example sentences

  1. Put a drop of acid on it: if it fizzes, it is probably limestone.

  2. The cave formed as groundwater slowly dissolved the limestone.

Common collocations

  • fossiliferous limestone
  • limestone cave
  • limestone quarry
  • massive limestone
  • sedimentary rockRock formed when sediment such as sand, mud or shells is laid down in layers, then buried, pressed together and cemented over time.
  • karstA landscape formed when water slowly dissolves soluble rocks such as limestone or gypsum, creating caves, sinkholes, underground rivers and large springs.
  • fossilThe remains or traces of a plant or animal that lived long ago, preserved in rock, such as shells, bones, leaf impressions or footprints.
  • metamorphic rockRock that has been changed by heat, pressure or hot fluids deep in the Earth without melting, such as marble formed from limestone.
  • aquiferAn underground body of permeable rock or sediment that holds groundwater and lets it flow, so that it can supply wells and springs.

More terms: Rocks & Minerals

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: