olistostrome

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noun

A sedimentary deposit composed of a chaotic mass of heterogeneous material, such as blocks and mud, known as olistoliths, that accumulates as a semifluid body by submarine gravity sliding or slumping of the unconsolidated sediments.

OriginAncient Greek ὀλισθάνω →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounolistostrome (plural olistostromes)

plural olistostromes

  1. A sedimentary deposit composed of a chaotic mass of heterogeneous material, such as blocks and mud, known as olistoliths, that accumulates as a semifluid body by submarine gravity sliding or slumping of the unconsolidated sediments.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekστρῶμα“bed”
  2. Ancient Greekὀλισθάνω“to slide”
  3. Englisholistostrome

From Ancient Greek ὀλισθάνω (olisthánō, “to slide”) + Ancient Greek στρῶμα (strôma, “bed”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

olistostrome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/olistostrome

MLA

“olistostrome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/olistostrome. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “olistostrome,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/olistostrome.

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