coprolite

noun

cop·​ro·​lite ˈkä-prə-ˌlīt How to pronounce coprolite (audio)
: fossilized excrement
coprolitic adjective

Examples of coprolite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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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 As previously reported, coprolites aren't quite the same as paleofeces, which retain a lot of organic components that can be reconstituted and analyzed for chemical properties. Ars Technica, 27 Nov. 2024 The coprolites contained the remains of fish, insects and plants, and sometimes other prey animals. Katie Hunt, CNN, 27 Nov. 2024 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

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Cite this Entry

“Coprolite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coprolite. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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