ephippium

American

[ih-fip-ee-uhm] / ɪˈfɪp i əm /

noun

Zoology.

a thick shell, consisting of two chitinous plates, that encloses and protects the winter eggs of a cladoceran.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

ephippial

adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

ephippia

plural

Etymology

Origin of ephippium

1835–45; < New Latin < Greek ephíppion, noun use of neuter of ephíppios for putting on a horse, equivalent to ep- ep- + hípp ( os ) horse + -ios adj. suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The latter in the Daphniidae are enclosed in a modified part of the mother’s shell, called the ephippium from its resemblance to a saddle in shape and position.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 6 "English Language" to "Epsom Salts" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023