acritarch

A1C3R1I1T1A1R1C3H4
/ˈækɹɪtɑː(ɹ)k/

noun

Any small, non-acid-soluble (i.e. non-carbonate, non-siliceous) organic fossil that cannot be classified.

OriginAncient Greek ἄκριτος →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nounacritarch (plural acritarchs)

plural acritarchs

  1. biologyAny small, non-acid-soluble (i.e. non-carbonate, non-siliceous) organic fossil that cannot be classified.

    Acritarchs represent some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth.

    2018, Mark Carnall, “Unidentifiable fossils: palaeontological problematica”, in The Guardian

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἄκριτος“doubtful, indistinguishable”
  2. Englishacritarch

From Ancient Greek ἄκριτος (ákritos, “doubtful, indistinguishable”) + ἀρχή (arkhḗ, “beginning, origin”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French acritarche
  • acritarchesmall, unclassifiable organic fossil
Irish acratarc
  • acratarcsmall, unclassifiable organic fossil
Portuguese acritarca
  • acritarcasmall, unclassifiable organic fossil
Russian акрита́рха
  • акрита́рха (akritárxa)small, unclassifiable organic fossil
Spanish acritarco
  • acritarcosmall, unclassifiable organic fossil
Cite this entry
APA

acritarch. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acritarch

MLA

“acritarch.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acritarch. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “acritarch,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acritarch.

Source: acritarch on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.