homocercal

[ hoh-muh-sur-kuh l, hom-uh- ]
/ ˌhoʊ məˈsɜr kəl, ˌhɒm ə- /

adjective Ichthyology.

having an equally divided tail, characteristic of adult modern bony fishes.

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Compare diphycercal, heterocercal.

Origin of homocercal

1830–40; homo- + cerc- (< Greek kérkos tail) + -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM homocercal

ho·mo·cer·cy [hoh-muh-sur-see, hom-uh-] /ˈhoʊ məˌsɜr si, ˈhɒm ə-/, ho·mo·cer·cal·i·ty [hoh-muh-ser-kal-i-tee, hom-uh-] /ˌhoʊ mə sərˈkæl ɪ ti, ˌhɒm ə-/, noun

Words nearby homocercal

homo-, homobiotin, homoblastic, homocarnosine, homocentric, homocercal, homochlamydeous, homochromatic, homochrome, homochromous, homochronous
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for homocercal

homocercal
/ (ˌhəʊməʊˈsɜːkəl, ˌhɒm-) /

adjective

ichthyol of or possessing a symmetrical tail that extends beyond the end of the vertebral column, as in most bony fishesCompare heterocercal

Word Origin for homocercal

C19: from homo- + Greek kerkos tail
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