Dictionary

madreporite en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌmædɹəˈpɔɹaɪt/ (US)

Etymology

From madrepore + -ite; the echinoderm sense is in reference to how it resembles the coral.

Meanings

1. A calcareous opening in the body of echinoderms which connects the water vascular system to the environment.
2. (archaic) A fossil stony coral, or a deposit composed of the same.
   • a similar Madreporite deposite is noticed a few feet above the coal seam 1839, Report of the progress of the Geological Survey for the year 1839:
   • Madreporite was regarded as a variety of calcite and anthraconite a lamellar variety of madreporite 1989, Society for the Bibliography of Natural History (Great Britain), Archives of Natural History, page 199:
   • Whether madreporite occurs naturally in Spain, I do not know 1943, “Publications of the Folklore Society (Great Britain)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), page 138:

Forms

Deriveds

madreporitic