Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "chalbeate" yana nufin wani nau'in marmaro na ma'adinai ko rijiyar da ke dauke da narkar da gishirin ƙarfe, yana ba shi yanayin launin ja-launin ruwan kasa da dandano na ƙarfe. An samo kalmar daga kalmar Latin "chalibeatus," wanda ke nufin "wanda aka yi da karfe" ko "mai dauke da ƙarfe." A cikin amfani da zamani, ana amfani da kalmar musamman dangane da tushen ruwan ma'adinai da fa'idodin kiwon lafiya waɗanda aka yi imanin suna da alaƙa da shan ruwan chalybeate.