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onychophoran

[ on-i-kof-er-uhn ]
/ ˌɒn ɪˈkɒf ər ən /
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noun
any small, predatory, caterpillarlike animal of the phylum Onychophora, common in tropical forests, having stubby legs ending in pincers.
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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
candystring
candyfloss
candypuff
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Origin of onychophoran

1885–90; <New Latin Onychophor(a) phylum name (<Greek onycho-, combining form of ónyx;see onyx) + New Latin -phora, neuter plural of -phorus-phore + -an

Words nearby onychophoran

onwards, on welfare, ony, onychia, onychophagia, onychophoran, -onym, onymous, on your life, onyx, onyxis
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for onychophoran

onychophoran
/ (ˌɒnɪˈkɒfərən) /
noun
any wormlike terrestrial invertebrate of the phylum Onychophora, having a segmented body, short unjointed limbs, and breathing by means of tracheae: intermediate in structure and evolutionary development between annelids and arthropods

Word Origin for onychophoran

from New Latin Onychophora, from Greek onukh- nail, claw + -phore
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
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