Rupestrian

[Grogie]

I saw this word at the venerable askoxford.com today. It refers to prehistoric art done on cave walls.

[Stargzer]

It seems there's more to it than meets the eye:

Grandiloquent Dictionary
rupestrian - ( )
Made out of rocks

Hutchinson's Dictionary of Difficult Words
rupestrian
n. made of, or written on, rock. rupestral, a. rupestrine, a. living on or in rocks.

The Phrontistery - A Dictionary of Obscure Words
rupestrian composed of rock; inscribed on rock

Luciferous Logolepsy
rupestrian
n. - made of, or written on, rock. rupestral, adj. rupestrine, adj. living on or in rocks.

My Cassell's French Dictionary has rupestre meaning Rupestral. (How's that for a circular reference? !!)

So, let's try our hand at Latin . . . AHA!!!!

rupes a rock, cliff

and also:

rūpes, is (collat. form rūpa . . .),

I. a rock; caverns, grottos; a cliff

[Grogie]

Thanks Larry. Wonderful information.