calamine

[ kal-uh-mahyn, -min ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a pink, water-insoluble powder consisting of zinc oxide and about 0.5 percent ferric oxide, used in ointments, lotions, or the like, for the treatment of inflammatory conditions of the skin.
Mineralogy. hemimorphite.
Chiefly British. smithsonite ( def ).

calamine

/ ˈkæləˌmaɪn /

a pink powder consisting of zinc oxide and ferric oxide, (iron(III) oxide), used medicinally in the form of soothing lotions or ointments
See hemimorphite, smithsonite
another name for smithsonite hemimorphite

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin calamīna, unexplained alteration of Latin cadmia cadmium; -ine ¹

C17: from Old French, from Medieval Latin calamīna, from Latin cadmīa; see cadmium

Smithsonite is a carbonate much resembling, and often found with, calamine.

Zinc occurs in nature most commonly as sulphide (blende); it also occurs as carbonate (calamine) and silicate (smithsonite).

In this condition it presents more surface to the action of zinc or calamine, and combines with it more readily.

It is accompanied by zinc ore (calamine), especially in the upper parts of the mountain.

The calamine-and-zinc oxide lotion used in acute eczema is also often extremely valuable.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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