stromatolite

noun

stro·​mat·​o·​lite strō-ˈma-tə-ˌlīt How to pronounce stromatolite (audio)
: a laminated usually mounded sedimentary fossil formed from layers of cyanobacteria, calcium carbonate, and trapped sediment
stromatolitic adjective

Examples of stromatolite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Made of sand or minerals, stromatolites can reach five metres tall. Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2024 Microbial stromatolites represent the earliest geological record of life on Earth, which dominated the planet for almost 3 billion years. Stromatolites, in general, refer to a range of microbial communities that are associated with layers of rock. David Bressan, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Early stromatolites likely controlled Earth’s oxygenation. David Bressan, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 At the time, most researchers thought the key to figuring out whether a stromatolite-like pattern had been shaped by primitive microbes or geologic forces was to scrutinize a sample micrometer by micrometer. Charlie Wood, Popular Science, 8 Mar. 2021 See all Example Sentences for stromatolite 

Word History

Etymology

Latin stromat-, stroma bed covering + English -o- + -lite

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stromatolite was in 1930

Dictionary Entries Near stromatolite

Cite this Entry

“Stromatolite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stromatolite. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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