ascidian

[ uh-sid-ee-uh n ]
/ əˈsɪd i ən /
Zoology

noun

any solitary or colonial tunicate of the class Ascidiacea, exhibiting in the larval stage the vertebrate characteristics of a notocord and hollow nerve cord.

adjective

belonging or pertaining to the class Ascidiacea.

Origin of ascidian

1855–60; < New Latin Ascidi(um) a tunicate genus (see ascidium) + -an

Words nearby ascidian

aschelminth, aschelminthes, aschheim-zondek test, aschoff body, asci, ascidian, ascidium, ascigerous, ascii, ascites, asclepiadaceous

Example sentences from the Web for ascidian

British Dictionary definitions for ascidian

ascidian
/ (əˈsɪdɪən) /

noun

any minute marine invertebrate animal of the class Ascidiacea, such as the sea squirt, the adults of which are degenerate and sedentary: subphylum Tunicata (tunicates)
ascidian tadpole the free-swimming larva of an ascidian, having a tadpole-like tail containing the notochord and nerve cord

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the Ascidiacea