vestimentiferan

[ ves-tuh-muhn-tif-er-uhn, ‑men- ]

noun

1. any of various marine tubeworms of the phylum Vestimentifera or Pogonophora, which live in upright tubes near hydrothermal vents.

Word History and Origins

Origin of vestimentiferan¹

First recorded in 1965–70; from New Latin Vestīmentifera phylum name, equivalent to Latin vestīment(um) “garment, outer garment” + -i- ( def ) + -fera, neuter plural of -fer -fer ( def )