bioherm

[ bahy-oh-hurm ]
/ ˈbaɪ oʊˌhɜrm /

noun Geology.

a carbonate rock formation, in the form of an ancient reef or hummock, consisting of the fossilized remains of corals, algae, mollusks, and other sedentary marine life, and commonly surrounded by rock of a different lithology.

Origin of bioherm

1925–30; bio- + -herm < Greek hérma sunken rock, reef

OTHER WORDS FROM bioherm

bi·o·her·mal, adjective

Words nearby bioherm

biographer, biographical, biographize, biography, biohazard, bioherm, bioindustry, bioinformatics, bioinorganic, bioinstrument, bioinstrumentation

British Dictionary definitions for bioherm

bioherm
/ (ˈbaɪəʊˌhɜːm) /

noun

a mound of material laid down by sedentary marine organisms, esp a coral reef
the fossilized remains of such a mound

Word Origin for bioherm

C20: from bio- + Greek herma submerged rock