— madreporic /mad'reuh pawr"ik, -por"-/ , madreporian /mad'reuh pawr"ee euhn, -pohr"-/ , adj.
/mad"reuh pawr', -pohr'/ , n.
any true or stony coral of the order Madreporaria, forming reefs or islands in tropical seas.
[ 1745-55; madrépore reef-building coral madrepora, equiv. to madre mother ( mater ) + -pora, for poro pôros kind of stone ]