limescale

/ ˈlaɪmskeɪl /

noun

1. a flaky deposit left in containers such as kettles by the action of heat on water containing calcium salts Often shortened toscale

Word History and Origins

Origin of limescale¹

from lime ¹(sense 1) + scale ¹(sense 3)

Example Sentences

Hard water is caused by mineral buildup, which isn’t bad for your health but can create limescale on appliances like your water heater.

From Los Angeles Times

Hard water is caused by mineral buildup, which isn’t bad for your health but can create limescale on appliances like your water heater.

From Los Angeles Times

Zeng says that over time, these incrustants would build up like typical limescale, at which point they could be scrubbed away to remove the NMPs.

From Science Daily

This is a nuisance in households -- and an expensive problem in thermal power stations, for example those that generate electricity, where the formation of limescale is known as fouling.

From Science Daily

Heat exchangers are particularly prone to limescale, which greatly reduces the efficiency of the systems: a layer of limescale just one millimetre thick in the heat exchanger's pipes reduces the efficiency of electricity production by approximately 1.5 percent.

From Science Daily