stromatolite
noun
stro·mat·o·lite
strō-ˈma-tə-ˌlīt 
: a laminated usually mounded sedimentary fossil formed from layers of cyanobacteria, calcium carbonate, and trapped sediment
Examples of stromatolite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The first stromatolites lived 3.5 billion years ago: the organism is a living fossil from the planet’s earliest days.
—
Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
That first day on the Northwest Passage is far and away the most colorful, the tundra dappled with the autumn colors and shore excursions to view the two-billion-year-old stromatolites at Port Epworth, an area nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Made of sand or minerals, stromatolites can reach five metres tall.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2024
At the time, most researchers thought the key to figuring out whether a stromatolite-like pattern had been shaped by primitive microbes or geologic forces was to scrutinize a sample micrometer by micrometer.
—Charlie Wood, Popular Science, 8 Mar. 2021
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Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
That first day on the Northwest Passage is far and away the most colorful, the tundra dappled with the autumn colors and shore excursions to view the two-billion-year-old stromatolites at Port Epworth, an area nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Made of sand or minerals, stromatolites can reach five metres tall.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2024
At the time, most researchers thought the key to figuring out whether a stromatolite-like pattern had been shaped by primitive microbes or geologic forces was to scrutinize a sample micrometer by micrometer.
—Charlie Wood, Popular Science, 8 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for stromatolite
Cite this Entry
“Stromatolite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stromatolite. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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