madrepore

See also: madrépore

English

Etymology

From French madrépore, from Italian madrepora (from madre (mother)), from Latin mater + poro (pore), from Latin porus

Noun

madrepore (plural madrepores)

  1. A coral of the genus Madrepora or of the larger group Madreporaria.
    • 1811, William Marsden, The History of Sumatra:
      The beauty of the madrepores and corallines, of which the finest specimens are found in the recesses of the Bay of Tappanuli, is not to be surpassed in any country.
    • 1873, David Livingstone, Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa:
      The rocks of Gonye are reddish gray sandstone, nearly horizontal, and perforated by madrepores, the holes showing the course of the insect in different directions.
  2. (archaic) Any stony coral.
    • 1926, W.D. Sweeting, The Cathedral Church of Peterborough:
      This bay is approached from the choir by the first marble step which is in Frosterley, a marble with beautiful madrepores of light colour on a dark ground.

Derived terms

References

  • madrepore in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Italian

Noun

madrepore f

  1. plural of madrepora
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