from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. An earthy mineral consisting chiefly of calcium phosphate with impurities, as alumina, etc.
Sorry, no etymologies found.
It also constitutes the minerals ornithite, Ca_3 (PO_4) _2·2H_2O, osteolite and sombrerite.
_Phosphorite_ and _sombrerite_ are mineral forms of calcium phosphate, while _apatite_ consists of calcium phosphate together with calcium fluoride or chloride.