acanthodian

[ ak-uhn-thoh-dee-uhn ]

noun

any small, spiny-finned, sharklike fish of the extinct order Acanthodii, from the Paleozoic Era.

Origin of acanthodian

First recorded in 1850–55; from New Latin Acanthodi(i), plural of acanthodius (equivalent to Acanthod(es), a genus name (from Greek akanthṓdēs “prickly, spiny”) + Latin -ius ) + -an;see acantho-, -ode¹

Words Nearby acanthodian

acanthite
acantho-
acanthocephalan
acanthocyte
acanthocytosis
acanthodian
acanthoid
acanthology
acanthopterygian
acanthous
acanthus

How to use acanthodian in a sentence

There is no evidence that the lateral row of spines in the acanthodian Climatius has any other than a defensive significance.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 3 | Various

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