siltstone

[ silt-stohn ]

noun

, Petrography.

1. a very fine-grained sandstone, mainly consolidated silt.

siltstone

/ ˈsɪltˌstəʊn /

noun

1. a variety of fine sandstone formed from consolidated silt

siltstone

/ sĭlt′stōn′ /

1. A fine-grained sedimentary rock consisting primarily of compacted and hardened silt. Siltstones are similar to shale but without laminations. They vary in color from black or gray to brown or red.

Word History and Origins

Origin of siltstone¹

First recorded in 1925–30; silt + stone

Example Sentences

Many are preserved in the siltstones and sandstones that formed at the bottom of the lake.

From Science News For Students

The fossils were found close together, in three levels within an area of reddish-brown siltstone that appears to have been a shared breeding ground, Ramezani says.

From Popular-Science