cnidarian

[ nahy-dair-ee-uh n ]
/ naɪˈdɛər i ən /

noun

any invertebrate animal, as a hydra, jellyfish, sea anemone, or coral, considered as belonging to the phylum Cnidaria, characterized by the specialized stinging structures in the tentacles surrounding the mouth; a coelenterate.

adjective

belonging or pertaining to the Cnidaria.

Origin of cnidarian

Cnidari(a) + -an

Words nearby cnidarian

cnd, cnemis, cng, cnida, cnidaria, cnidarian, cnido-, cnidoblast, cnidocil, cnidocyst, cnidogenous

Content related to cnidarian

Take An Aquarium Word Trip With Dictionary.com And Georgia Aquarium To help you get into full teacher and tour-guide mode, we've teamed up with the Georgia Aquarium to put together an educational language guide for you to reference as you're exploring the aquarium with your kids.
READ MORE

British Dictionary definitions for cnidarian

cnidarian
/ (naɪˈdɛərɪən, knaɪ-) /

noun

any invertebrate of the phylum Cnidaria, which comprises the coelenterates

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the Cnidaria

Word Origin for cnidarian

C20: from New Latin Cnidaria, from Greek knidē nettle

Scientific definitions for cnidarian

cnidarian
[ nī-dâr′ē-ən ]

Any of various invertebrate animals of the phylum Cnidaria, having a body with radial symmetry and tentacles that bear microscopic stinging capsules called nematocysts. The tentacles surround a mouth that opens into a saclike internal cavity and that is used both for ingesting food and for eliminating wastes. Cnidarians evolved in the Precambrian Era, but it is not known from what type of organism. Cnidarians include the jellyfishes, hydras, sea anemones, and corals.