malm
Definition
- Noun (Geology):
- Soft, friable limestone: "malm" refers to a soft, crumbly, calcareous rock, typically composed of calcium carbonate and often used in building or brickmaking.
- Brick made from such stone: "malm" also denotes a type of brick manufactured from this soft limestone, known for its pale colour and porous texture.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The quarry yielded large quantities of malm for local construction. (A soft limestone used as building material.)
- The old cottage was built with malm bricks, which gave it a distinctive light hue. (Bricks made from soft limestone.)
Advanced Usage
"malmstone": an alternative term for the soft limestone itself, though "malm" is the standard form.
- The malmstone deposits in this region are easily worked but weather poorly. (The soft limestone is easy to shape but not durable.)
"malm brick": a specific type of brick made from malm, often used in historical architecture.
- Many Victorian houses in southern England feature malm brick facades. (Bricks made from soft limestone, common in 19th-century buildings.)
Variants and Related Words
Malmy (adj): containing or resembling malm; soft and calcareous.
- The malmy soil was unsuitable for heavy crops. (Soil rich in soft limestone particles.)
Malmstone (n): a synonym for malm, especially in geological contexts.
- The cliffs are composed of malmstone, which erodes easily. (Soft limestone rock.)
Synonyms
- Limestone: a general term for sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate, though malm is a specific soft variety.
- Calcareous rock: rock containing calcium carbonate, of which malm is a subtype.
- Chalk: a soft, white, porous limestone; malm is similar but often less pure.
Related Idioms
- No common idioms exist for "malm," as it is a technical geological term. However, in historical contexts, "malm brick" may appear in architectural descriptions.
Phrasal Verbs
- No phrasal verbs are associated with "malm," as it is only used as a noun.