coprolite

[ kop-ruh-lahyt ]

noun

1. a stony mass consisting of fossilized fecal matter of animals.

coprolite

/ ˈkɒprəˌlaɪt; ˌkɒprəˈlɪtɪk /

noun

1. any of various rounded stony nodules thought to be the fossilized faeces of Palaeozic-Cenozoic vertebrates

coprolite

/ kŏp′rə-līt′ /

1. Fossilized excrement. Analysis of the fossilized animal and plant remains within coprolites provides important information about the diet and environment of ancient biota.

Derived Forms

• coprolitic, adjective

Other Words From

• cop·ro·lit·ic [kop-r, uh, -, lit, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of coprolite¹

First recorded in 1820–30; copro- + -lite

Example Sentences

Feces, especially from carnivores, can readily form into coprolites.

From Science News For Students

For example, coprolites have been used to show that some plant-eating dinosaurs also dined on crustaceans.

From Science News For Students

Despite this preservation power, coprolites can be overshadowed by amber, a translucent tree resin, when it comes to fossils.

From Science News

Among those fossils were coprolites — fossil poop — filled with partially digested bone shards.

From Science News For Students

An earlier study, published in 2014, sifted through the tiny coprolites to look for traces of Neanderthal diets.

From Ars Technica

In many places they have been worked, under the name of “coprolite-beds,” as sources of artificial manures.

From Project Gutenberg

An ichthyo-coprolite from Tenby was found to contain 15.4% of phosphoric anhydride.

From Project Gutenberg