Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A sulfur-containing protein similar to collagen that forms the elastic fibrous structure of certain sponges.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The proper horny or fibrous substance of sponges; ceratose or ceratode. Also
spongiolin .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Physiol. Chem.) The chemical basis of sponge tissue, a nitrogenous, hornlike substance which on decomposition with sulphuric acid yields leucin and glycocoll.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
horny ,sulfur -containingprotein related tokeratin that forms the skeletal structure of certain classes of spongesproteinaceous compounds of which thespicules inDemospongiae are composed.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word spongin.
Examples
-
The spicules are joined together and cemented by a body that has been named "spongin," which has much the same chemical composition as silk, and, like silk, is very elastic.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 601, July 9, 1887 Various
-
Dr. Ledenfeld again illustrated this stage of his lecture by means of a number of microscopic slides in which the variety of shape and size of these spicules and "spongin" fibers were shown.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 601, July 9, 1887 Various
-
You ain't goin 'to do no spongin' off me just because I'm marryin 'your sister.
Chapter 34 2010
-
In some cases the skeleton seems to be more or less replaced by sand, the small grains of which are cemented together by the "spongin."
Scientific American Supplement, No. 601, July 9, 1887 Various
-
In some varieties of sponges, especially in the kinds which come into the market, the skeleton is almost entirely composed of fibers of pure "spongin."
Scientific American Supplement, No. 601, July 9, 1887 Various
-
You ain't goin 'to do no spongin' off me just because I'm marryin 'your sister.
Chapter 34 1908
-
As for that old thing that helps you at the toll-gate, and as for the young man that's spongin 'on you, I've no doubt they've got a mighty poor opinion of you.
The Captain's Toll-Gate Frank Richard Stockton 1868
-
Additionally, spongin-permeating red algae occurred in at least 7 sponge species.
-
Activity under partially anaerobic conditions also supports the role of this enzyme in the degradation of the spongin tissue.
Elites TV 2009
-
April 15, 2008 at 10:42 am but that’s bettur than spongin’ off his frendz
soap scum kitteh - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2008
deinonychus commented on the word spongin
I prefer to think of this as a verb: spongin'.
July 18, 2012