nummulite

American  

[nuhm-yuh-lahyt] / ˈnʌm yəˌlaɪt /

noun

1. a fossil foraminifer of the genus Camerina (Nummulites ), having a calcareous, usually disklike shell.

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nummulite British  

/ ˈnʌmjʊˌlaɪt, ˌnʌmjʊˈlɪtɪk /

noun

1. any of various large fossil protozoans of the family Nummulitidae, common in Tertiary times: phylum Foraminifera (foraminifers)

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Other Word Forms

• nummulitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of nummulite

First recorded in 1805–15; nummul(ar) + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

Dr. Carpenter and Professor T. Rupert Jones have since confirmed this opinion, comparing the structure to that of the well-known nummulite.

From The Student's Elements of Geology by Lyell, Charles, Sir

Generally, however, the Cretaceous beds do not appear, and the greater part of southern Arabia seems to be formed of Alveolina and nummulite limestones of Tertiary age.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3 "Apollodorus" to "Aral" by Various

Amongst the materials I found a fine yellow sandstone-grit and a nummulite so weathered that the shells stood out in strong relief.

From To The Gold Coast for Gold, Vol. II A Personal Narrative by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

With them are the Nummulites, looking externally very like buttons, but on the inside divided into innumerable chambers in which the complex animal that formed the nummulite dwelt.

From Sea-Weeds, Shells and Fossils by Gray, Peter

The Eocene includes a series of sandstones and marls with lignite, and these are overlaid by nummulite limestones.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various