English

Etymology

Old English cealc, borrowed from Latin calx "limestone", borrowed from Ancient Greek χάλιξ "pebble".

Pronunciation

• AHD : chôk

• Rhymes: -ɔːk

Noun

chalk (uncountable)

1. A soft, white, powdery limestone.
2. A piece of chalk mineral, or, more often, processed compressed chalk mineral, that is used for writing on a blackboard.
3. Tailor's chalk , a chalk-like material used for marking alterations on clothing.
4. (climbing) A white powdery substance used to prevent hands slipping from holds when climbing.

Translations

a soft, white, powdery limestone

a piece of chalk mineral used on a blackboard

tailor's chalk

Translations to be checked

• Breton: kleiz m (1,2)
• Bosnian: kreda f
• Chinese: 粉筆 (fěnbǐ)
• Czech: křída f
• Dutch: krijt n (1,2), krijtje n (2)
• Esperanto: kreto
• French: craie f (1,2)
• Indonesian: kapur tulis
• Japanese: 白亜 (はくあ , hakua, 1), 白墨 (はくぼく , hakuboku, 2) チョーク (chōku, 1, 2), チャコ (chako, 3)
• Latin: calx f
• Polish: kreda f (1,2)
• Russian: мел (mjel)
• Spanish: creta f (1), tiza f (2)

Derived terms

• chalky

Verb

to chalk (past and past participle: chalked )

1. To record something, as on a blackboard, using chalk.
2. To use powdered chalk to mark the lines on a playing field.
3. Figuratively: To record a score or event, as if on a chalkboard.

Derived terms

• chalk up to

Related words

• calx
• calcium