polychaete

[ pol-i-keet ]

noun

any annelid of the class Polychaeta, having unsegmented swimming appendages with many setae or bristles.

adjective

Also pol·y·chae·tous. belonging or pertaining to the Polychaeta.

Origin of polychaete

1885–90; <New Latin Polychaeta<Greek polychaítēs having much hair. See poly-, chaeta

Words Nearby polychaete

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use polychaete in a sentence

In about the three-fourths of the nests, a single icefish stood guard to protect the eggs from potential predators like starfish, polychaete worms, and sea spiders.
Icefish build bizarre undersea nests—and that’s just the beginning | Shi En Kim | January 21, 2022 | Popular-Science

British Dictionary definitions for polychaete

polychaete

/ (ˈpɒlɪˌkiːt) /

noun

any marine annelid worm of the class Polychaeta, having a distinct head and paired fleshy appendages (parapodia) that bear bristles (chaetae or setae) and are used in swimming: includes the lugworms, ragworms, and sea mice

adjectiveAlso: polychaetous

of, relating to, or belonging to the class Polychaeta

Origin of polychaete

C19: from New Latin, from Greek polukhaitēs: having much hair; see chaeta

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

Scientific definitions for polychaete

polychaete

Any of various often brightly colored annelid worms of the class Polychaeta. Each segment of a polychaete has a pair of fleshy appendages that are tipped with bristles (setae), used for swimming or burrowing. Most species of polychaetes live in saltwater, feed on tiny aquatic animals and plants, and range in size from a few millimeters to 3 m (10 ft) in length. Compare oligochaete.

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