A stalactite is a long piece of rock which hangs down from the roof of a cave. Stalactites are formed by the slow dropping of water containing the mineral lime. a sharp pointed object hanging down from the roof of a cave, which is formed gradually by water that contains minerals as it drops slowly from the roof stalagmite (stalactites, from stalaktos )
Stalactites are found depending from the roof or sides of caverns, and are produced by deposition from waters which have percolated through, and partially dissolved, the overlying limestone rocks
An icicle-like mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of a cave and is usually made up of travertine, which precipitates as water rich in dissolved limestone drips down from the cave's ceiling See also stalagmite
In an extended sense, any mineral or rock of similar form and origin; as, a stalactite of lava