noun
Common
cal
kal
Cal (noun) means Slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), used in building and farming. Example: “The builder mixed cal with sand to make a smooth wall plaster.”
noun
1
Slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), used in building and farming.
"The builder mixed cal with sand to make a smooth wall plaster."
"Farmers spread cal on the soil to reduce acidity."
"The old recipe called for a pinch of cal to soften the corn husks."
2
An old miners' name for wolfram, an ore of tungsten.
"The old miners called the heavy dark ore cal and set it aside."
"An old mining journal mentions cal being carried down from the hills."
"The prospector logged a vein of cal running through the rock."
How to use cal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short technical term — either slaked lime used in farming and building, or an old name for a tungsten ore.
Common mistake
Don't confuse this "cal" with the informal short form of the names Caleb, Calvin, or Caroline, or with "cal" as an abbreviation for calorie — same letters, unrelated meanings.
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Word forms
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The builder mixed _____ with sand to make a smooth wall plaster.
Etymology
A clipped form of "calcium hydroxide" — shortened the way chemical names often get trimmed in casual or trade use.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “cal” mean?
The word “cal” means slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), used in building and farming. In plain terms, a short technical term — either slaked lime used in farming and building, or an old name for a tungsten ore.
How do you pronounce “cal”?
“Cal” is pronounced kal (/kæl/ in IPA).
How do you use “cal” in a sentence?
Here is “cal” used in a sentence: “Farmers spread cal on the soil to reduce acidity.”
What part of speech is “cal”?
“Cal” is a noun.
Is “cal” a common word?
“Cal” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “cal” have?
“Cal” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), used in building and farming.
What is cal used for in building and farming?
Cal is slaked lime — calcium hydroxide — a white material used in construction for mortars, plasters, and limewash, and in farming to reduce soil acidity. It is made by adding water to quicklime, a process called slaking.
What is the difference between cal and quicklime?
Quicklime is calcium oxide, the harsh, highly reactive product of burning limestone, while cal, or slaked lime, is calcium hydroxide, made by combining quicklime with water. Slaked lime is much safer to handle, which is why it is the form used in mortar, plaster, and soil treatment.
What did miners mean by cal?
Among miners, cal was an old name for wolfram, an ore of tungsten. Wolfram itself is the older name for the metal tungsten and survives in its chemical symbol, W.
Is cal the same as a calorie?
Not as a dictionary word — cal the noun names slaked lime and, in old mining use, tungsten ore — but cal is also the standard scientific abbreviation for the calorie. In that abbreviation, 1,000 cal equal one kilocalorie (kcal), and the calories listed on food labels are actually kilocalories.
