Spongites is a term referring to a type of fossilized coral often found in limestone formations. Its spelling can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /spɒn.dʒaɪts/, with the first syllable pronounced like "spahn" and the second syllable like "jites." The letter combination "sp" at the beginning represents the sound /sp/, while the letter combination "ng" in the middle makes the nasal sound /ŋ/. The ending "-ites" is a common suffix used to denote a mineral or fossil.