coelacanth

[ see-luh-kanth ]
/ ˈsi ləˌkænθ /

noun

a crossopterygian fish, Latimeria chalumnae, thought to have been extinct since the Cretaceous Period but found in 1938 off the coast of southern Africa.

Origin of coelacanth

1605–15; < New Latin Coelacanthus originally a genus name, equivalent to coel- coel- + Greek -akanthos -spined, -thorned, adj. derivative of ákantha spine, thorn

OTHER WORDS FROM coelacanth

coe·la·can·thine [see-luh-kan-thahyn, -thin] /ˌsi ləˈkæn θaɪn, -θɪn/, adjective

Words nearby coelacanth

coefficient of performance, coefficient of restitution, coefficient of variation, coefficient of viscosity, coel-, coelacanth, coelanaglyphic, coelenterata, coelenterate, coelenteron, coeliac

Example sentences from the Web for coelacanth

British Dictionary definitions for coelacanth

coelacanth
/ (ˈsiːləˌkænθ) /

noun

a primitive marine bony fish of the genus Latimeria (subclass Crossopterygii), having fleshy limblike pectoral fins and occurring off the coast of E Africa: thought to be extinct until a living specimen was discovered in 1938

Word Origin for coelacanth

C19: from New Latin coelacanthus, literally: hollow spine, from coel- + Greek akanthos spine

Scientific definitions for coelacanth

coelacanth
[ sē′lə-kănth′ ]

Any of various fishes of the group Coelacanthiformes or Actinistia, having lobed, fleshy fins. Coelacanths are crossopterygians, the ancient group of lobe-finned fishes that gave rise to land vertebrates. They were known only from Paleozoic and Mesozoic fossils until a living species (Latimeria chalumnae) was found in the Indian Ocean in 1938. A second Latimeria species was described in 1999.