carbonate-rich
|car/bon/ate-rich|
🇺🇸
/ˈkɑɹbəneɪt rɪtʃ/
🇬🇧
/ˈkɑːbəneɪt rɪtʃ/
containing carbonate
Etymology
'carbonate-rich' is a Modern English compound formed by combining the noun 'carbonate' and the adjective 'rich'.
'carbonate' ultimately comes from French 'carbonate' and Medieval Latin 'carbonatus', from Latin 'carbo' meaning 'coal' or 'carbon'. 'rich' comes from Old English 'rice' (meaning 'powerful, wealthy') and developed into the modern adjective 'rich'.
Originally, 'carbonate' referred to salts of carbonic acid; over time it came to denote minerals or materials containing the carbonate ion or carbonate minerals. 'Rich' has retained its basic sense of 'abundant' or 'plentiful', so the compound means 'abundant in carbonate'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
containing, composed of, or characterized by a high proportion of carbonate minerals or carbonate ions (for example, carbonate-rich sediment or rock).
The region's soils are carbonate-rich, affecting local water chemistry.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/14 05:49