speleothem
Jan. 7th, 2025 07:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordspeleothem (SPEE-li-uh-them) - (geol.) n., any formation deposited in a cave by the action of water.
The hypernym of stalactite and stalagmite, and several other formations. Not left over from last week's theme, but rather from a visit the week before to Carlsbad Caverns:
Thanks, WikiMedia!
Coined in 1952 by geologist G. W. Moore from Ancient Greek roots spḗlaion, cave + théma, deposit.
---L.
The hypernym of stalactite and stalagmite, and several other formations. Not left over from last week's theme, but rather from a visit the week before to Carlsbad Caverns:
Thanks, WikiMedia!
Coined in 1952 by geologist G. W. Moore from Ancient Greek roots spḗlaion, cave + théma, deposit.
---L.
