oolith

Meaning

Noun

• A spherical granule of which oolite is composed, formed by concentric accretion of thin layers of a mineral (usually calcium carbonate (limestone) but also others such as dolomite and silica) around a core; an ooid.
• Oolite.

Origin

• Borrowed from Late Latin oolithus; the Latin word was (1697–1753) as a translation of German Rogenstein (Rogen + Stein). Oolithus is derived from Ancient Greek ᾠόν (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew-, in the sense of a bird being clothed in feathers) + λῐ́θος (see further at that entry), analysable as oo- + -lith.