calcium
n. uncountablen. a soft, silver-white metal that is very important for your health. You need it to keep your bones and teeth strong and healthy.
n. a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. Essential for living organisms, particularly in the formation of skeletal structures and the regulation of physiological processes.
Milk is a great source of calcium for growing children.
Doctors often recommend that older adults take a daily supplement to ensure they get enough calcium for bone density.
The biological importance of calcium cannot be overstated, as it serves as a vital messenger in cell signaling and is the primary structural component of the vertebrate skeleton.
Coined by British chemist Humphry Davy in 1808, from Latin calx (“lime, limestone”) because it occurs in limestone. By surface analysis, calc- + -ium.