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Added 10 October 2026

caliche

/kəˈlit͡ʃi/ noun

Latin root: calx Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about caliche at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Crust or layer of hard subsoil encrusted with calcium-carbonate occurring in arid or semiarid regions.
Nitrate-bearing rock or gravel of the sodium nitrate deposits of Chile and Peru.

Origin

From Spanish caliche, from Latin calx (“pebble”); compare chalk.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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