coprolite

noun

cop·​ro·​lite ˈkä-prə-ˌlīt How to pronounce coprolite (audio)
Synonyms of coprolitenext
: fossilized excrement
coprolitic
ˌkä-prə-ˈli-tik How to pronounce coprolite (audio)
adjective

Examples of coprolite 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.
At a fossil site in northwestern Canada called Raven’s Throat River, the mudstone still holds 500-million-year-old coprolites, some as wide as five centimeters, along with complete fossils of trilobites and mollusk-like hyoliths with conical shells. — ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026 After analyzing coprolite samples taken from over 35 sites around the world, researchers documented a clear shift in shape, size, and composition as the Ediacaran gave way to the Cambrian. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Aug. 2026 Families can take part in everything from Berserker Boot Camp to the light-hearted (and oddly popular) Poo Week, where kids recreate Viking coprolites using clay and imagination. — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 The team also tracked down a second upland moa coprolite that was housed in a museum. — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for coprolite

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coprolite was in 1829

Rhymes for coprolite

See All Rhymes for coprolite

Browse Nearby Words

coprolalia
coprolite
coprology
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coprolite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coprolite. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on coprolite

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for coprolite

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coprolite

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