calcium

IPA/ˈkælsiəm/
KK[kˈælsiəm]IPA/ˈkælsiəm/

calcium — noun

1. an element the body uses to build strong teeth and bones, and that people get fr

1.nounB2
Definition

an element the body uses to build strong teeth and bones, and that people get from foods such as milk; on its own, the metal is pale and easy to cut.

Example

The doctor told Priya to have yogurt for more calcium after her broken ankle.

get more calcium after injury

Calcium in milk helps young goats grow strong teeth and bones.

calcium in [food] helps [body part]

Common collocations
  • calcium-rich food
  • calcium supplement
  • calcium deficiency
  • calcium level
  • calcium tablets
Synonyms
  • mineral

    a much broader word for a natural substance; calcium is one specific mineral

  • nutrient

    focuses on something the body needs from food; calcium is one kind of nutrient

  • Ca

    the chemical symbol, used in scientific writing rather than normal sentences

Grammar Patterns

calcium in [food/body part]

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. In everyday English, it often appears in health collocations such as calcium tablets, calcium levels, and foods rich in calcium; in chemistry, the symbol Ca is used in formulas.

Common Mistakes

Milk gives your bones many calciums.
Milk gives your bones a lot of calcium.
'calcium' is normally uncountable in English.

Word family

  • calcify
    verbC1
  • calcified
    adjectiveC2
  • calcification
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium are all mineral nutrients, but they appear in different health discussions. Calcium is the one most closely linked with bones and teeth, so it often comes up in sentences about milk, growth, broken bones, and supplements. Iron is usually connected with blood and tiredness. Magnesium is more often mentioned with muscles, sleep, or nerves. Potassium commonly appears in advice about bananas, body fluids, and heart health. If a doctor talks about bone strength after a fracture, calcium is the natural choice. If the problem is low energy from poor blood health, iron is more likely. These words belong to the same broad group, but they are not interchangeable.

calcium ↗iron ↗magnesiumpotassium ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • calcium intake
  • calcium tablet
  • calcium source
  • calcium content

Phrases

  • get enough calcium
  • foods rich in calcium
  • low in calcium

Etymology

LatinModern LatinEnglish

Calcium comes from modern scientific Latin calcium, a name built on Latin calx, meaning 'lime' or 'limestone'. Chemists used the newer Latin form when naming the element found in substances such as lime, chalk, shells, bones, and teeth. English then borrowed that scientific name in the early nineteenth century, and the symbol Ca still shows the same root.