# calcareous

/kˈælkeəɹəs/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/calcareous
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

containing a lot of chalk or limestone. You use it to describe soil or rock with much calcium in it.

For teachers: containing or composed of calcium carbonate, especially limestone or chalk. Often describes soils, rocks, or organisms that thrive in lime-rich environments.

## Examples

- These hills have calcareous soil with much chalk.
- The farmer tests the field because calcareous soil changes which crops grow well.
- The botanist prefers calcareous grasslands where thin, lime-rich soils support orchids that cannot survive in acidic ground.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the noun it modifies.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.