calcify — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To make or become hard and stony by impregnating with calcium salts.

   Usage

   • Intransitive
   • Transitive

   Examples

   calcify tissue

   calcify rapidly

   More examples (2)

   calcify with age

   Over time, the arteries began to calcify.

2. To make or become rigid or inflexible; to ossify.

   Usage

   • broadly
   • Figurative

Verb

1. become impregnated with calcium salts

   Antonyms

   decalcify

   Broader terms

   hardenindurate

2. become inflexible and unchanging

   Broader terms

   change

   Examples

   Old folks can calcify

3. turn into lime; become calcified

   Broader terms

   change stateturn

   Examples

   The rock calcified over the centuries

4. convert into lime

   Broader terms

   changealtermodify

   Examples

   the salts calcified the rock