Cyatholith

/siˈæθəlɪθ/ noun

Definition

A cup-shaped fossil or mineral structure, combining the concept of a cup with stone.

Etymology

Combines Greek kyathos (cup) with -lith from Greek lithos (stone), a suffix used in geology and paleontology to describe rock formations and fossilized structures.

Kelly Says

Cyatholith is one of those wonderful scientific words where you can literally decode the meaning: cup (cyatho-) plus stone (lith)—geologists built their whole naming system by combining descriptive root words!

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