Synonyms

limestone

American

[lahym-stohn] / ˈlaɪmˌstoʊn /

noun

a sedimentary rock consisting predominantly of calcium carbonate, varieties of which are formed from the skeletons of marine microorganisms and coral: used as a building stone and in the manufacture of lime.

limestone British

/ ˈlaɪmˌstəʊn /

noun

a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium carbonate, deposited as the calcareous remains of marine animals or chemically precipitated from the sea: used as a building stone and in the manufacture of cement, lime, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

limestone Scientific

/ līm′stōn′ /

A sedimentary rock consisting primarily of calcium carbonate, often in the form of the minerals calcite or aragonite, and sometimes with magnesium carbonate in the form of dolomite. Minor amounts of silica, feldspar, pyrite, and clay may also be present. Limestone can occur in many colors but is usually white, gray, or black. It forms either through the accumulation and compaction of fossil shells or other calcium-carbonate based marine organisms, such as coral, or through the chemical precipitation of calcium carbonate out of sea water.

limestone Cultural

Sedimentary rock formed primarily of calcium carbonate, often the skeletons of small marine organisms.

Etymology

Origin of limestone

First recorded in 1515–25; lime ² + stone

Compare meaning

How does limestone compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

limestone vs. travertine

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dramatic waterfalls cascade over limestone steps in the Swale making this swimming spot especially picturesque.

From BBC

Eventually the entire massif stands exposed: a solitary block of limestone rising 1,800 feet above the Mojave floor.

From Los Angeles Times

Known as North America's most fertile source of dinosaur fossils, it contains massive deposits of mudstone, sandstone, and limestone from ancient rivers and floodplains.

From Science Daily

Mr. Robb’s excellent maps expose their geological foundation: the limestone belt that bisects England from the upper right to the lower left.

From The Wall Street Journal

Whether Reuben hit them directly or not, water was going to come at them from every one of those directions—plus down from the clouds and up through the porous limestone underneath the city.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023