tosca

noun

tos·​ca

ˈtōskə

plural -s

1

: a calcium carbonate deposit occurring in the loess of the pampas compare caliche

2

: a soft coral limestone deposit used for various purposes in Puerto Rico (as for masonry, road surfacing, ballast, and as fertilizer)

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, from Spanish, feminine of tosco rough, unpolished, uncouth, probably from Latin tuscus Tuscan; from the disreputable character of the inhabitants of the Vicus Tuscus Tuscan Street in ancient Rome

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