keratose

American

[ker-uh-tohs] / ˈkɛr əˌtoʊs /

adjective

having a skeleton formed of horny fibers, as certain sponges.

noun

keratode.

keratose British

/ -ˌtəʊz, ˈkɛrəˌtəʊs /

adjective

(esp of certain sponges) having a horny skeleton

"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

Etymology

Origin of keratose

First recorded in 1850–55; kerat- + -ose ¹

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.

Dr. Turner suggests the meshlike structures closely resemble the fiber networks of modern keratose sponges, also known as horny sponges, found around the world today.

From New York Times • Jul. 28, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023