archaeocyaths
|ar-chae-o-cy-aths|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑrki.oʊˈsaɪəθs/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːkiəʊˈsaɪəθs/
(archaeocyath)
ancient cup-like reef-building organism
Etymology
'archaeocyath' originates from New Latin 'Archaeocyathus', ultimately from Greek 'arkhaios' meaning 'ancient' and 'kyathos' meaning 'cup'.
'Archaeocyathus' was adopted in New Latin (used in scientific naming) from Greek roots in the 19th century; the term was applied to these fossil, cup-shaped organisms and entered English scientific usage as 'archaeocyath' (plural 'archaeocyaths').
Initially it literally meant 'ancient cup' (from the Greek roots), and it evolved to denote this specific group of extinct, cup-shaped, reef-building organisms from the early Cambrian.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'archaeocyath'.
Archaeocyaths were important reef builders in the early Cambrian.
Noun 2
an extinct group of early Cambrian marine organisms with cup-shaped calcareous skeletons (archaeocyaths) that commonly formed reef-like structures.
Fossil archaeocyaths are often found in early Cambrian reef deposits.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/06 12:01