calamine Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a white mineral; a common ore of zinc
    hemimorphite.

WordNet

Cal"a*mine noun
Etymology
F. calamine, LL. calamina, fr. L. Cabmia. See Cadmia.
Definitions
  1. (min.) A mineral, the hydrous silicate of zinc. ✍ The name was formerly applied to both the carbonate and silicate of zinc each of which is valuabic as an ore; but it is now usually restricted to the latter, the former being called smithsonite.

Webster 1913