stalactite
Stalactite (noun) means a tapering, icicle-shaped mineral deposit that forms on a cave ceiling as mineral-rich water drips. Example: “Water dripping steadily from the cave roof had built up a cluster of stalactites.”
How to use stalactite
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA stalactite is the icicle-like mineral spike you see hanging down from a cave's ceiling.
This is a plain, technical geology term with no informal equivalent.
Because stalactite and stalagmite sound so alike, it helps to remember that this word describes the formation hanging from the cave roof, as given in its definition.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Water dripping steadily from the cave roof had built up a cluster of _____.
Etymology
The word comes from New Latin stalactites, itself based on Ancient Greek stalaktos, meaning dripping or dropping, joined to a Latin ending used for naming stones. That Greek word in turn goes back to a verb meaning to drip or let something drip.
