madreporite

noun

mad·​re·​por·​ite ˈma-drə-ˌpȯr-ˌīt How to pronounce madreporite (audio)
: a perforated or porous body that is situated at the distal end of the stone canal in echinoderms

Examples of madreporite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The arm opposite the madreporite is arm number 1, and the rest are numbered clockwise. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2012 Starfish have a small wart-like valve called a madreporite, which allows water into their bodies. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2012

Word History

Etymology

madrepore + -ite entry 1 (segment); from the resemblances of the perforations to those of a madrepore

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of madreporite was in 1869

Dictionary Entries Near madreporite

Cite this Entry

“Madreporite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/madreporite. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on madreporite

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!