sea urchin

noun

1. any echinoderm of the class Echinoidea, having a somewhat globular or discoid form, and a shell composed of many calcareous plates covered with projecting spines.

2. a tall evergreen shrub or small tree, Hakea laurina, of Australia, having narrow leaves and dense, globe-shaped clusters of crimson flowers with long yellow stamens.

sea urchin

noun

1. any echinoderm of the class Echinoidea, such as Echinus esculentus ( edible sea urchin ), typically having a globular body enclosed in a rigid spiny test and occurring in shallow marine waters

Word History and Origins

Origin of sea urchin¹

First recorded in 1585–95