Madreporite
//ˌmædɹəˈpɔɹaɪt// noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A calcareous opening in the body of echinoderms which connects the water vascular system to the environment.
- 2 A fossil stony coral, or a deposit composed of the same. archaic
"a similar Madreporite deposite is noticed a few feet above the coal seam"
Example
More examples"a similar Madreporite deposite is noticed a few feet above the coal seam"
Etymology
From madrepore + -ite; the echinoderm sense is in reference to how it resembles the coral.
Related phrases
More for "madreporite"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.