speleothem

This term is a technical geological descriptor used primarily in speleology and geochemistry. It serves as a collective category for various cave formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones. In a professional or academic context, it is preferred over the more general term "cave formation" to specify the chemical process of mineral precipitation.

Because it describes a physical geological object, it follows standard English countability rules. It is used in the singular when referring to a specific deposit or the general phenomenon, and in the plural when discussing multiple formations within a cave system.