Word of the Day - 05/25/26
gastrolith
/ˈɡæstrəˌlɪθ/(n.): a rock ingested by an animal and held within the gastrointestinal tract—typically the gizzard—to aid in grinding food
The toddler could not be disabused of the notion that a gastrolith would benefit his digestion.
Word Origin
The word 'gastrolith' originates from Ancient Greek. It is formed from two parts: 'gastro-' from 'gastēr' (γαστήρ), meaning "stomach" or "belly", and '-lith' from 'lithos' (λίθος), meaning "stone". Thus, a gastrolith is literally a "stomach stone".
Words sharing 'gastro-' include 'gastric' (relating to the stomach), 'gastritis' (inflammation of the stomach), and 'gastroenterology' (study of the digestive system). Words sharing '-lith' include 'monolith' (a single large stone), 'lithograph' (a print made from a stone plate), and 'lithosphere' (the rocky outer part of the Earth).