crown-of-thorns starfish
[ kroun-uhv-thawrnz ]
/ ˈkraʊn əvˈθɔrnz /
noun
a starfish, Acanthaster planci, that feeds on living coral polyps, causing erosion and destruction of coral reefs.
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What does “clement” mean?
Also called crown of thorns.
Origin of crown-of-thorns starfish
First recorded in 1960–65
Words nearby crown-of-thorns starfish
crown lens, crown octavo, Crown Office, crown-of-jewels, crown of thorns, crown-of-thorns starfish, crownpiece, Crown Point, crown post, crown prince, crown princess
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020