salpa

[ sal-puh ]

noun

, plural sal·pas, sal·pae [sal, -pee].

1. any free-swimming, oceanic tunicate of the genus Salpa, having a transparent, more or less fusiform body.

salpa

/ ˈsælpə; ˈsælpɪˌfɔːm /

noun

1. any of various minute floating animals of the genus Salpa, of warm oceans, having a transparent barrel-shaped body with openings at either end: class Thaliacea, subphylum Tunicata (tunicates)

Derived Forms

• salpiform, adjective

Other Words From

• sal·pi·form [sal, -p, uh, -fawrm], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of salpa¹

1510–20; < New Latin, special use of Latin salpa < Greek sálpē kind of fish

Word History and Origins

Origin of salpa¹

C19: from New Latin, from Latin: variety of stockfish, from Greek salpē

Example Sentences

Salpa, sal′pa, n. a remarkable genus of free-swimming Tunicates.

From Project Gutenberg

In order to move itself, the Salpa has recourse to a singular artifice.

From Project Gutenberg

The stolon, like that in Salpa, contains a prolongation of the branchial sack.

From Project Gutenberg

Perhaps Salpa is the nearest animal, although the transparency of the body is nearly the only character they have in common.

From Project Gutenberg

The genus Salpa forms another interesting group of Tunicata.

From Project Gutenberg