calce viva
/ˈkal.t͡ʃe ˈvi.va/word by wordfeminine
Quicklime in Italian is calce viva.
The term refers to calcium oxide.
Meaning: calcium oxide (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term calce viva literally translates to 'living lime', reflecting the chemical reactivity of the substance.
Which one should you use?
While calce viva refers to quicklime (calcium oxide), calce spenta refers to slaked lime (calcium hydroxide).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some southern regions of Italy, such as Calabria and Sicily, the term mùrmia is used to refer to quicklime.
Did you know?
- Historical Italian frescoes relied on calce viva reacting with carbon dioxide in the air to lock pigments into the wall permanently.
- The contrast between viva (living) and spenta (extinguished/spent) creates a linguistic metaphor where the chemical reaction is treated like a flame being put out.
- In Italian, the word calce shares its origins with the English word 'chalk', as both trace back to the same Latin root for lime and calcium.
Examples in context
- È necessario utilizzare la calce viva nella preparazione di malte e cementi.It is necessary to use quicklime in the preparation of mortars and cements.
- Hai bisogno di calcina per il progetto di ristrutturazione?Do you need quicklime for the renovation project?
- La calce viva reagisce violentemente con l'acqua.Quicklime reacts violently with water.
- La calce viva reagisce con l'acqua.Quicklime reacts with water.
- Devi maneggiare la calce viva con cura.You must handle quicklime with care.
- Serve un po' di calce viva per il processo.A little quicklime is needed for the process.
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are working in a garden.
- MartinaAlessandro, dove abbiamo messo la calce viva?Alessandro, where did we put the quicklime?
- AlessandroÈ nel sacco vicino al capanno, Martina.It is in the bag near the shed, Martina.
- MartinaGrazie, ne serve poca per il terreno.Thanks, we only need a little for the soil.
- AlessandroFai attenzione a non toccarla a mani nude.Be careful not to touch it with bare hands.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quicklime” translations and entries calce viva, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (calce, viva) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calce, CC BY-SA 4.0.
