gypsum

[ jip-suhm ]

noun

1. a very common mineral, hydrated calcium sulfate, CaSO 4 ⋅2H 2 O, occurring in crystals and in masses, soft enough to be scratched by the fingernail: used to make plaster of Paris, as an ornamental material, as a fertilizer, etc.

gypsum

/ ˈdʒɪpsəm; dʒɪpˈsɪfərəs; ˈdʒɪpsɪəs /

noun

1. a colourless or white mineral sometimes tinted by impurities, found in beds as an evaporite. It is used in the manufacture of plaster of Paris, cement, paint, school chalk, glass, and fertilizer. Composition: hydrated calcium sulphate. Formula: CaSO 4 .2H 2 O. Crystal structure: monoclinic

gypsum

/ jĭp′səm /

1. A colorless, white, or pinkish mineral. Gypsum occurs as individual blade-shaped crystals or as massive beds in sedimentary rocks, especially those formed through the evaporation of saline-rich water. It is used in manufacturing plasterboard, cement, and fertilizers. Chemical formula: CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O.

Derived Forms

• gypsiferous, adjective
• gypseous, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gypsum¹

1640–50; < Latin: chalk < Greek gýpsos chalk, gypsum

Word History and Origins

Origin of gypsum¹

C17: from Latin, from Greek gupsos chalk, plaster, cement, of Semitic origin

Example Sentences

A runaway freighter full of gypsum rammed a steel bridge, but the cause was crew inattention, not mechanical like Baltimore.

From Seattle Times

White Sands National Park, about an hour’s drive from Las Cruces and four hours from the capital, lets you wander 250-plus square miles of white gypsum sand dunes on foot or by bike — year-round.

From Seattle Times

Mr Adams-King, cabinet member for universal services, said the charges currently helped pay for the recycling or disposal of DIY waste, such as soil, rubble, asbestos and gypsum board, which require specialist processing.

From BBC

The project entails converting sulphur dioxide into sulphuric acid, which is then neutralised with limestone to generate gypsum waste.

From Reuters

Their formation is most common in easily erodible karst terrains with carbonate rocks, like limestone or dolomite, or minerals known as evaporites, like salt and gypsum.

From National Geographic

Related Words

• adhesive
• cement
• glue
• lime
• mortar
• stucco