The more commonly found form putti is the plural of the Italian word putto. The Italian word comes from the Latin word putus, meaning boy or child. Today, in Italian, putto means either toddler winged angel or, rarely, toddler boy.
What exactly is the difference between stalactites and stalagmites? Which one hangs above and which one stands up from the ground? Stalactites and stalagmites are what are known as speleothems, deposits of minerals that form into cave structures and line the insides of a cave. Stalactites are the formations that hang from the ceilings of caves like icicles, while stalagmites look like they're emerging from the ground and stand up like a traffic cone. Some may take thousands of years to form, while others can grow quite rapidly.
Water from the end of the stalactite leaves more calcite in a pile on the cave floor, and pretty soon a cone-like stalagmite forms. Thatâs why stalactites and stalagmites are usually found in pairs. Sometimes they grow together to form a pillar or column.ne way to remember is that stalactite has a âcâ in it, as in âceiling,â and stalagmite has a âgâ in it, as in âground.â. At least itâs easy to see the difference between stalactites and stalagmites, which are also called dripstone.