gypsa

English

Etymology

From Latin gypsa, plural of gypsum.

Noun

gypsa

1. plural of gypsum
   • 1770, “I. Earths”, “1. Calcareous”, in Gustav von Engestrom, transl., edited by Emanuel Mendes da Costa, An Essay Towards a System of Mineralogy, London: Printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, translation of original by Axel Fredric Cronstedt, “B. (Sect. XIII) United with the acid of vitriol. Gypſum”, page 22:

     When a ſmall quantity of any gypſum is melted together with borax, the glaſs becomes colourleſs and tranſparent; but I have found ſome ſorts of alabaſter and ſparry gypſa that, when melted in ſome quantity with borax, yield a fine yellow tranſparent colour, reſembling that of the beſt topaſes.

   • 1771, J. Hill, “Native Fossils”, in Fossils Arranged according to their Obvious Characters; […], London: Printed for R. Baldwin, […]; and P. Elmsly, […], “Class II. Selenite. Selenites”, page 33:

     We find it tranſparent, of various Figures; but compoſed all of united Rhombs: and when its concretion has been interrupted, we ſee it in the forms of granulated, fibrous, or ſcaly maſſes, and call them Gypſa, or Plaiſter Stones.

   • 1797, “GYPSUM, Plaster-stone, or Alabaſter”, in Encyclopædia Britannica; or, a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature; […], 3rd edition, volume VIII, Edinburgh: Printed for A. Bell and C. Macfarquhar, page 257, column 2:

     The Iſle of Sheppey affords a kind of ſpar-like gypſa, of a fibrous nature, and always accreting like the radiations of a ſtar on the ſeptaria, and thence called ſtella ſeptarii.

   • 1825, Granville Penn, “Notes”, “IV. On the Numerous Revolutions of M. Cuvier”, in A Comparative Estimate of the Mineral and Mosaical Geologies, 2nd edition, volume II, London: J. Moyes, for James Duncan, page 376:

     The gypsum and rock-salt are found also in soils long posterior to the sand-stone with clay.—We have seen, that M. Steffens considers the gypsa of Lower Germany as making part of the chalky formation; and the salt-waters, which issue in that country, are referred to these gypsa and to the salt which they contain.

   • 1913, The Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society, volume XVI, page 333, column 1:

     IV. Alabasters (Gypsa or Plaister stones)

   • 1984, Guidebook, International Geological Congress, […], page 84:

     17. Gypsa developed from anhydrites, grey gypsum-bearing limestones with bands of sandstones. The layer is covered with low-angle, turfy talus. Gypsa are white, grey, pink. Sandy limestones are light-grey. 22 m.

   • 1988, Karst Hydrogeology and Karst Environment Protection: Proceedings of the 21st Congress of the International Association of Hydrogeologists, […], pages 361, 362:

     The gypsa are overlying conductive rocks which could correspond to a flysch formation with prevailing pelitic fraction. It seems therefore possible that the gypsa were squeezed out of the Tuscan nappe front and advanced towards NE together with the allochthonous covers. […] They are the consequence of a very pronounced dissolution process in progress, affecting the deep gypsum layers. The river-bed dolines are visible every year in the September to November period, in relation with the minimum aquifer level in the gypsa after the summer drought.

Anagrams

• gaspy

French

Pronunciation

• Homophones: gypsas, gypsât

Verb

gypsa

1. third-person singular past historic of gypser