calcine
|cal-cine|
/ˈkæl.saɪn/
heat strongly to decompose / remove volatiles
Etymology
'calcine' originates from Medieval Latin, specifically the word 'calcinare', where 'calx' (Latin) meant 'lime'.
'calcine' changed from the Medieval Latin verb 'calcinare' (derived from Latin 'calx') into Old French/Anglo-Latin forms and eventually entered English (Middle English) as 'calcinen' and then modern 'calcine'.
Initially, it meant 'to reduce to lime or powder by heating' (closely tied to 'calx' = lime), but over time it broadened to the modern sense of 'to heat strongly to drive off volatile material or cause thermal decomposition.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance that has been calcined; the product or residue resulting from calcination.
The calcine was analyzed for residual carbon and other impurities.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to heat (a substance) strongly, especially to remove volatile constituents, moisture, or chemically bound water; to subject to calcination.
They calcine the ore to remove moisture and volatile impurities before further processing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Verb 2
in chemical or industrial contexts, to cause thermal decomposition or conversion (for example, converting a carbonate to an oxide) by heating.
In the lab they calcine the carbonate to produce the corresponding oxide for analysis.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
past participle used adjectivally: having been subjected to calcination (i.e., 'calcined').
Reports described the sample as calcine after the high-temperature treatment.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/13 16:37