ostracum

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noun

A fragment of pottery.

OriginNew Latin ostracum ← Ancient Greek ὄστρακον →
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Meanings

nounostracum (plural ostraca)

plural ostraca

  1. archaeologyA fragment of pottery.
  2. biologyThe middle layer of a molluscan shell.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὄστρακον“pottery fragment; shell”
  2. New Latinostracum
  3. Englishostracum

From New Latin ostracum, from Ancient Greek ὄστρακον (óstrakon, “pottery fragment; shell”).

More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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