/ ˈstæləgmaɪt; NAmE stəˈlæg-/ noun
a piece of rock pointing upwards from the floor of a cave (= a hollow place underground) , that is formed over a long period of time from drops of water containing lime that fall from the roof
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WORD ORIGIN
late 17th cent.: from modern Latin stalagmites , from Greek stalagma a drop, based on stalassein to drip.