tufa

2 definitions found

tufa - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Tufa \Tu"fa\, [It. fufo soft, sandy stone, L. tofus, tophus. Cf.
     Tofus, Toph, and Tophin.] (Min.)
     (a) A soft or porous stone formed by depositions from water,
         usually calcareous; -- called also calcareous tufa.
     (b) A friable volcanic rock or conglomerate, formed of
         consolidated cinders, or scoria.
         [1913 Webster]

tufa - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  tufa
      n 1: a soft porous rock consisting of calcium carbonate
           deposited from springs rich in lime [syn: tufa, calc- tufa
           ]
      2: hard volcanic rock composed of compacted volcanic ash [syn:
         tuff, tufa]