ammonite

¹

[ am-uh-nahyt ]

noun

1. the coiled, chambered fossil shell of an ammonoid.

ammonite

²

[ am-uh-nahyt ]

noun

1. a nitrogenous mixture consisting chiefly of dried animal fats, usually obtained from livestock carcasses, and used as a fertilizer.

Ammonite

³

[ am-uh-nahyt ]

noun

1. an inhabitant of Ammon.

adjective

1. of or relating to the Ammonites.

ammonite

¹

/ ˌæməˈnɪtɪk; ˈæməˌnaɪt /

noun

1. any extinct marine cephalopod mollusc of the order Ammonoidea, which were common in Mesozoic times and generally had a coiled partitioned shell. Their closest modern relative is the pearly nautilus
2. the shell of any of these animals, commonly occurring as a fossil

ammonite

²

/ ˈæməˌnaɪt /

noun

1. an explosive consisting mainly of ammonium nitrate with smaller amounts of other substances, such as TNT
2. a nitrogenous fertilizer made from animal wastes

ammonite

/ ăm′ə-nīt′ /

1. Any of the ammonoids belonging to the order Ammonitida and living during the Jurassic and the Cretaceous Periods. Ammonites had a thick, very ornamental chambered shell with highly defined, wavy sutures between the chambers.

Derived Forms

• ammonitic, adjective

Other Words From

• am·mo·nit·ic [am-, uh, -, nit, -ik], adjective
• am·mon·i·toid [uh, -, mon, -i-toid], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ammonite¹

1700–10; < New Latin Ammonites < Medieval Latin ( cornū ) Ammōn ( is ) (literally, horn of Ammon ) + -ītes -ite ¹; fossil so called from its resemblance to the horn of Jupiter Ammon

Origin of ammonite²

First recorded in 1600–10; ammo(nium) + nit(rat)e

Origin of ammonite³

First recorded in 1605–15; Ammon + -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ammonite¹

C18: from New Latin Ammōnītēs, from Medieval Latin cornū Ammōnis, literally: horn of Ammon

Origin of ammonite²

C20: from ammo ( nium ) + ni ( tra ) te

Example Sentences

Think: “Carol,” “The Favourite,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” and “Ammonite.”

From New York Times

And, they are a nice change from the more solemn LGBTQ+ cinematic masterpieces we've seen fairly recently, like "Moonlight," "Call Me By Your Name," "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," "Ammonite" and "Carol."

From Salon

A number of other high profile TV and film productions have used the Dorset Coast as locations in recent years including Wonka, Ammonite and Future TX.

From BBC

The name of this cuvée refers to the ammonite fossils in the ancient soils of the vineyards.

From Washington Post

Fossils such as this opalized ammonite can develop gradually when a mixture of water and silica permeates deeply buried shells, bones or teeth left behind after other remains rot away.

From Scientific American