ophiolite

O1P3H4I1O1L1I1T1E1

noun

An assemblage of mafic and ultramafic rock fragments of the ocean lithosphere that has been tectonically moved onto a continental margin or island.

OriginAncient Greek ὄφις →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounophiolite (plural ophiolites)

plural ophiolites

  1. geographyAn assemblage of mafic and ultramafic rock fragments of the ocean lithosphere that has been tectonically moved onto a continental margin or island.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὄφις“serpent”
  2. Englishophiolite

From Ancient Greek ὄφις (óphis, “serpent”) + -lite.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Italian ofiolite
  • ofioliteTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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