Standard Lemma guide

calcify

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈkælsɪfaɪ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K AE1 L S AH0 F AY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, transitive

Examples

  • calcify tissue
  • calcify rapidly
  • calcify with age
  • Over time, the arteries began to calcify.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To make or become rigid or inflexible; to ossify.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

convert into lime

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the salts calcified the rock

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

4

verb

Meaning 4

turn into lime; become calcified

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The rock calcified over the centuries

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change state, turn

5

verb

Meaning 5

become impregnated with calcium salts

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: decalcify

Broader terms: harden, indurate

6

verb

Meaning 6

become inflexible and unchanging

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Old folks can calcify

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

History

Etymology

From French calcifier, or from English calcium + -ify.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: калцирам (kalciram) — transitive
  • Bulgarian: втвърдявам (vtvǎrdjavam) — transitive
  • Catalan: calcificar — transitive
  • Chinese Mandarin: 鈣化 /钙化 (gàihuà) — transitive
  • Finnish: kalkita — transitive
  • French: calcifier — transitive
  • Galician: calcificar — transitive
  • Italian: calcificare — transitive
  • Polish: zwapniać — transitive
  • Polish: zwapnić — transitive
  • Portuguese: calcificar — transitive
  • Russian: превраща́ть в и́звесть (prevraščátʹ v ízvestʹ) — transitive
  • Spanish: calcificar — transitive
  • Swedish: förkalka — transitive
  • Tagalog: kalsipikahan — transitive
  • Bulgarian: калцирам се (kalciram se) — intransitive
  • Bulgarian: втвърдявам се (vtvǎrdjavam se) — intransitive
  • Chinese Mandarin: 鈣化 /钙化 (gàihuà) — intransitive
  • Finnish: kalkkeutua — intransitive
  • Finnish: kalkkiutua — intransitive
  • French: se calcifier — intransitive
  • Galician: calcificarse — intransitive
  • Italian: calcificarsi — intransitive
  • Polish: wapnieć — intransitive
  • Polish: zwapnieć — intransitive
  • Russian: превраща́ться в и́звесть (prevraščátʹsja v ízvestʹ) — intransitive
  • Russian: отвердевать (otverdevatʹ) — intransitive
  • Swedish: förkalkas — intransitive
  • Turkish: kireçleşmek — intransitive
  • Turkish: kireçlenmek — intransitive