parazoan

[ par-uh-zoh-uhn ]

noun
  1. any member of a group of invertebrates comprising the phylum Porifera, the sponges.

adjective
  1. of or relating to a parazoan organism.

Origin of parazoan

1
<New Latin parazo(a) (see para-1, -zoa) + -an

Words Nearby parazoan

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British Dictionary definitions for parazoan

parazoan

/ (ˌpærəˈzəʊən) /


nounplural -zoa (-ˈzəʊə)
  1. any multicellular invertebrate of the group Parazoa, which consists of the sponges (phylum Porifera): Compare metazoan

Origin of parazoan

1
C19: from parazoa, formed on the model of protozoa and metazoa, from para- 1 + Greek zōon animal

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