siphonophore

[ sahy-fuh-nuh-fawr, -fohr, sahy-fon-uh- ]

/ ˈsaɪ fə nəˌfɔr, -ˌfoʊr, saɪˈfɒn ə- /

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noun

any pelagic hydrozoan of the order Siphonophora, being a floating or swimming colony composed of polyps.

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Origin of siphonophore

1835–45; <New Latin Siphonophora name of the order <Greek siphōnophór(os) tube-carrying (equivalent to siphōno-siphono- + -phóros-phore) + -a neuter plural noun suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM siphonophore

si·pho·noph·o·rous

[sahy-fuh-nof-er-uhs], /ˌsaɪ fəˈnɒf ər əs/, adjective

Words nearby siphonophore

siphon, siphonage, siphonapterous, siphon bottle, siphono-, siphonophore, siphonostele, Siphrei Torah, siphuncle, sipid, Siple

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

How to use siphonophore in a sentence

Here ctenophores swim about using glittering comb-legs, colonies of siphonophore clones stretch a hundred feet long, and giant larvaceans secrete elaborate mucus structures.
The cameras that capture fragile deep-sea jellies in their element|Elizabeth Anne Brown|March 10, 2022|MIT Technology Review

British Dictionary definitions for siphonophore

siphonophore

/ (ˈsaɪfənəˌfɔː, saɪˈfɒnə-) /

noun

any marine colonial hydrozoan of the order Siphonophora, including the Portuguese man-of-war

Derived forms of siphonophore

siphonophorous (ˌsaɪfəˈnɒfərəs), adjective

Word Origin for siphonophore

C19: from New Latin siphonophora, from Greek siphōnophoros tube-bearing

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 siphonophore

siphonophore

[ sī-fŏn′ə-fôr′, sī′fə-nə- ]

Any of various transparent, often subtly colored marine cnidarians of the order Siphonophora, consisting of a delicate floating or swimming colony of polyplike and medusalike individuals. Siphonophores can reach lengths of 40 m (131 ft), making them longer than blue whales. The Portuguese man-of-war is a siphonophore.