oolite

American  

[oh-uh-lahyt] / ˈoʊ əˌlaɪt /

noun

Geology.

1. a limestone composed of minute rounded concretions resembling fish roe, in some places altered to ironstone by replacement with iron oxide.

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oolite British  

/ ˌəʊəˈlɪtɪk, ˈəʊəˌlaɪt /

noun

1. any sedimentary rock, esp limestone, consisting of tiny spherical concentric grains within a fine matrix

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oolite Scientific  

/ ō′ə-līt′ /

1. A sedimentary rock consisting of ooliths that are cemented together by calcium carbonate.

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Other Word Forms

• oolitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of oolite

1775–85; (< French oölithe ) < New Latin oölithēs. See oo-, -lite

Example Sentences

The arrival of Art Basel, he said, “was a stab of adrenaline that instigated a lot of effort,” including the city’s own public and private museums, nonprofit organizations like Oolite Arts and Locust Projects, and, not least, the creation of freshly minted homegrown collectors.

From New York Times

The Shoofly Oolite - named for nearby Shoofly Creek - is one of the largest ooid formations in the world, according to the BLM.

From Washington Times

You can sit in the round craters hollowed out of heaped oolite domes or climb along rolling expanses of craggy rock.

From Seattle Times

The oolite rock structures can be found in scattered clusters along what’s called the Glenns Ferry Formation, so intrepid explorers can follow the edge of the plateau to see even more of the odd rocks.

From Seattle Times

At the trailhead, which is marked by a wooden barrier, the BLM has installed signs explaining the significance of the oolite.

From Seattle Times