onychophoran

[ on-i-kof-er-uh n ]

/ ˌɒn ɪˈkɒf ər ən /

noun

any small, predatory, caterpillarlike animal of the phylum Onychophora, common in tropical forests, having stubby legs ending in pincers.

Nearby words

onychomycosis, onychoosteodysplasia, onychopathy, onychophagia, onychophagy, onychophoran, onychoplasty, onychorrhexis, onychoschizia, onychosis, onychotillomania

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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