ctenophore

[ ten-uh-fawr, -fohr, tee-nuh- ]

noun
  1. any gelatinous marine invertebrate of the phylum Ctenophora; a comb jelly.

Origin of ctenophore

1
From the New Latin word ctenophorus, dating back to 1880–85. See cteno-, -phore

Words Nearby ctenophore

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British Dictionary definitions for ctenophore

ctenophore

/ (ˈtɛnəˌfɔː, ˈtiːnə-) /


noun
  1. any marine invertebrate of the phylum Ctenophora, including the sea gooseberry and Venus's-girdle, whose body bears eight rows of fused cilia, for locomotion: Also called: comb jelly

Origin of ctenophore

1
C19: from New Latin ctenophorus, from Greek kteno-, kteis comb + -phore

Derived forms of ctenophore

  • ctenophoran (tɪˈnɒfərən), adjective, noun

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

Scientific definitions for ctenophore

ctenophore

[ tĕnə-fôr′ ]


  1. Any of various, mostly small marine invertebrates of the phylum Ctenophora, having transparent, gelatinous bodies bearing eight rows of comblike cilia. Ctenophores have a branched digestive tract that also has circulatory function. Most ctenophores feed on plankton and are bioluminescent, producing brilliant displays of blue or green light at night. Ctenophores are related to cnidarians but are more highly evolved because their bodies have a true mesoderm. Also called comb jelly

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