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zoophyte

American  
[zoh-uh-fahyt] / ˈzoʊ əˌfaɪt /

noun

  1. any of various invertebrate animals resembling a plant, as a coral or a sea anemone.


zoophyte British  
/ ˌzəʊəˈfɪtɪk, ˈzəʊəˌfaɪt /

noun

  1. any animal resembling a plant, such as a sea anemone

"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

Other Word Forms

  • zoophytic adjective
  • zoophytical adjective

Etymology

Origin of zoophyte

1615–25; < New Latin zōophyton < Greek zōióphyton. See zoo-, -phyte

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Certainly in this zoophyte such appeared to be the case.

From The Voyage of the Beagle by Darwin, Charles

This peculiar zoophyte was known as the gasternowl.

From The Goddess of Atvatabar Being the history of the discovery of the interior world and conquest of Atvatabar by Bradshaw, William Richard

Its splendour glows and its influence grows As Nature's slow work appears, From the zoophyte small to the Lords of all, Through kalpas and crores of years.

From The Astral Plane Its Scenery, Inhabitants and Phenomena by Leadbeater, C. W. (Charles Webster)

An important member of the zoophyte family, and one often introduced into aquaria, is the actinia, or sea-anemone, sometimes called sea-rose.

From Harper's Young People, April 13, 1880 An Illustrated Weekly by Various

One of the most comical and amusing creatures of all the zoophyte tribe, is figured and described by Mr. Gosse under the name of Lar Sabellarum.

From Through a Microscope Something of the Science Together with many Curious Observations Indoor and Out and Directions for a Home-made Microscope. by Sargent, Frederick Leroy