Coccolith
/ˈkɒkəlɪθ/noun
A microscopic calcareous plate produced by certain marine algae called coccolithophores.
Did you know?The white cliffs of Dover are largely made from countless fossilized coccoliths—the mineral shields of algae that lived in ancient seas.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κόκκος (kókkos)
“A berry, seed, kernel, or small rounded object”
Ancient Greek
Greek
λίθος (líthos)
“Stone or rock”
19th Century
Scientific Greek
coccolith
“A coined compound meaning a small, rounded stone-like structure”
19th Century
Scientific English
coccolith
“A calcareous plate observed on microscopic marine organisms”
Modern English
English
coccolith
“A microscopic calcium-carbonate plate produced by a coccolithophore”