coelenterate

noun

coe·​len·​ter·​ate si-ˈlen-tə-ˌrāt How to pronounce coelenterate (audio)
-rət
: cnidarian
Like corals and jellyfish, sea anemones are coelenterates, a name that sacrifices poetry for scientific precision; it means that they have a hollow gut.Richard Conniff

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Greek koilos + enteron intestine — more at inter-

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coelenterate was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near coelenterate

Cite this Entry

“Coelenterate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coelenterate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coelenterate

noun
coel·​en·​ter·​ate
si-ˈlent-ə-ˌrāt,
-rət
: any of a phylum of invertebrate animals including the corals, sea anemones, sea fans, jellyfishes, and hydras and usually have a body with radial symmetry

called also cnidarian

coelenterate adjective

Medical Definition

coelenterate

noun
coe·​len·​ter·​ate si-ˈlent-ə-ˌrāt, -rət How to pronounce coelenterate (audio)
: any invertebrate animal of the phylum Cnidaria

called also cnidarian

coelenterate adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on coelenterate

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