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⇱ STALAGMITE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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stalagmite

noun

sta·​lag·​mite stə-ˈlag-ˌmīt 👁 How to pronounce stalagmite (audio)
also ˈsta-ləg-
: a deposit of calcium carbonate like an inverted stalactite formed on the floor of a cave by the drip of calcareous water

Examples of stalagmite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At one point, Pelley climbed atop a massive stalagmite tower more than 100 feet high. —👁 Image
Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026 Travelers can easily spend the entire day exploring these captivating caverns, admiring the mystical stalagmites and stalactites and looking out for wildlife like bats and cougars. —👁 Image
Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026 Walking into the bath space is like being in an underground cave—without the slippery moss and dangerous stalagmites. —👁 Image
Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 19 Nov. 2025 In the province of Salerno in southern Italy, the Grotte dell’Angelo is a karst system featuring a unique network of caverns and impressive stalactites hanging from the vaults and stalagmites rising from the floor. —👁 Image
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stalagmite

Word History

Etymology

New Latin stalagmites, from Greek stalagma drop or stalagmos dripping, from stalassein to let drip

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stalagmite was in 1681

Rhymes for stalagmite

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stalagmite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stalagmite. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

: a deposit of calcium carbonate like an inverted stalactite formed on the floor of a cave by the drip of water
Etymology

from scientific Latin stalagmites "stalagmite," from Greek stalagma "a drop" or Greek stalagmos "the act or result of dripping"

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