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Glite Dictionary
saprolite

saprolite

9.9
A soft, clay-like rock that forms when hard rock slowly breaks down in the ground
  • noun
  • /ˈsæprəˌlaɪt/
  • Specialized
: saprolito
  • The geologist explained how saprolite forms from the weathering of bedrock over time.

Examples

  • In our excavation site, we discovered layers of saprolite that indicated intense chemical weathering.

  • First, there might be a deeper and less weathered zone below the kaolinized saprolite with a much higher hydraulic conductivity than the kaolinized (pallid) zone.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Saprolite is often used as a natural soil amendment due to its clay-rich composition.

Antonyms

bedrock
  • Specialized
12 4.7

The solid rock layer under the soil and loose ground

Surface Forms

saprolite singular
saprolites plural

Morphology

saprolite = sapro + lite

The parts are technical combining forms (sapro- 'rotten' + -lite as a mineral/rock-forming element) rather than productive standalone English words, so learners cannot reliably infer the meaning from familiar vocabulary.

Etymology

Saprolite comes from the Greek parts sapro- meaning 'rotten' and lithos meaning 'stone'. So saprolite is literally 'rotten stone', which helps you remember it: it is soft, clay-rich rock that has broken down in place.