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coprolite

American  
[kop-ruh-lahyt] / ˈkɒp rəˌlaɪt /

noun

  1. a stony mass consisting of fossilized fecal matter of animals.


coprolite British  
/ ˈkɒprəˌlaɪt, ˌkɒprəˈlɪtɪk /

noun

  1. any of various rounded stony nodules thought to be the fossilized faeces of Palaeozic-Cenozoic vertebrates

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

coprolite Scientific  
/ kŏprə-līt′ /
  1. Fossilized excrement. Analysis of the fossilized animal and plant remains within coprolites provides important information about the diet and environment of ancient biota.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of coprolite

First recorded in 1820–30; copro- + -lite

Vocabulary lists containing coprolite

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Among the fossilised finds, is "Barnum", the largest coprolite found that belongs to a carnivore, which measures at 67.5cm.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2024

They selected a coprolite fragment nearly 2 centimeters long that, based on its broken ends, suggested it was part of a much larger piece that might be more likely to contain things inside it.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 30, 2021

Qvarnström and his colleagues uncovered a particular dime-size coprolite in a clay pit near Ozimek, Poland.

From Scientific American • Jun. 30, 2021

That preserved poop — technically termed a coprolite — could be the lumpy rock I am now holding in my hand.

From Washington Post • Jun. 16, 2018

The coprolite industry was very profitable for a short period from 1850 to 1880, and its decline was accompanied by a general industrial and agricultural depression.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 1 "Calhoun" to "Camoens" by Various

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