: any of a subclass (Ammonoidea) of extinct cephalopods especially abundant in the Mesozoic age that had flat spiral shells with the interior divided by septa into chambers
: a member of a Semitic people who in Old Testament times lived east of the Jordan between the Jabbok and the Arnon
Ammoniteadjective
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The couple, who own a farm in nearby Hays, had previously collected ammonites and tiny bones while hiking through the shortgrass prairie.New York Times, 11 Feb. 2020 In addition, the amber contained the shells of squid-like critters called ammonites, which also lived in the sea. Matt Simon, Wired, 11 Mar. 2020 Giant mollusks with flanged shells that looked like alien cruisers disappeared forever, and many species of nautilus-like cephalopods called ammonites also went extinct.National Geographic, 18 Dec. 2019 The download browser also features the fossilized jaw and skull of an unnamed dolphin species, the skull of a shrub ox unearthed in New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns, and a Jurassic Period ammonite. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, 27 Nov. 2019 But despite centuries of research, many mysteries still surround ammonites. Michael Greshko, National Geographic, 13 May 2019 The Earp homestead is built on a bedrock of ammonite, which acts as a powerful revenant repellant. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 2 Oct. 2018 In some cases -- some extremely rare cases -- ammonites can fetch between $40,000 to $50,000.CNN, 21 Mar. 2018 What the girl had found was the fossil of an ammonite, a sea creature that went the way of the dinosaurs millions of years ago.CNN, 21 Mar. 2018 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
New Latin ammonites, from Latin cornu Ammonis, literally, horn of Ammon
Noun (2)
Late Latin Ammonites, from Hebrew ʽAmmōn Ammon (son of Lot), descendant of Ammon