actinia

[ ak-tin-ee-uh ]

/ ækˈtɪn i ə /

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noun, plural ac·tin·i·ae

[ak-tin-ee-ee], /ækˈtɪn iˌi/, ac·tin·i·as.

a sea anemone, especially of the genus Actinia.

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Origin of actinia

From New Latin, dating back to 1740–50; see origin at actin-, -ia

Words nearby actinia

actin, actinal, actin filament, acting, acting area, actinia, actinian, actinic, actinic cheilitis, actinic dermatitis, actinic elastosis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use actinia in a sentence

Each several coral-individual is equivalent to a single living polyp (actinia).
The Wonders of Life|Ernst Haeckel
The Actinia gemmacia, which is like a gorgeous sunflower, is said to be the most voracious of its kind.
Harper's Young People, April 13, 1880|Various
One of the most common among the many varieties of sea-anemones is the Actinia mesembryanthemum.
Harper's Young People, April 13, 1880|Various
Unlike Actinia, it is fixed to submarine bodies, to which it is glued in very early life, and cannot change its place.
Glaucus|Charles Kingsley

Unlike Actinia, its body is supported by a stony skeleton of calcareous plates arranged edgewise so as to radiate from the centre.
Glaucus|Charles Kingsley

British Dictionary definitions for actinia

actinia

/ (ækˈtɪnɪə) /

noun plural -tiniae (-ˈtɪnɪˌiː) or -tinias

any sea anemone of the genus Actinia, which are common in rock pools

Word Origin for actinia

C18: New Latin, literally: things having a radial structure. See actino-, -ia

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012