ctenophore

[ ten-uh-fawr, -fohr, tee-nuh- ]
/ ˈtɛn əˌfɔr, -ˌfoʊr, ˈti nə- /

noun

any gelatinous marine invertebrate of the phylum Ctenophora; a comb jelly.

Origin of ctenophore

From the New Latin word ctenophorus, dating back to 1880–85. See cteno-, -phore

Words nearby ctenophore

cteno-, ctenocephalides, ctenoid, ctenophora, ctenophoran, ctenophore, ctesiphon, ctf, ctg., ctmo., ctn

British Dictionary definitions for ctenophore

ctenophore
/ (ˈtɛnəˌfɔː, ˈtiːnə-) /

noun

any marine invertebrate of the phylum Ctenophora, including the sea gooseberry and Venus's-girdle, whose body bears eight rows of fused cilia, for locomotion Also called: comb jelly

Derived forms of ctenophore

ctenophoran (tɪˈnɒfərən), adjective, noun

Word Origin for ctenophore

C19: from New Latin ctenophorus, from Greek kteno-, kteis comb + -phore

Scientific definitions for ctenophore

ctenophore
[ tĕn′ə-fôr′ ]

Any of various, mostly small marine invertebrates of the phylum Ctenophora, having transparent, gelatinous bodies bearing eight rows of comblike cilia. Ctenophores have a branched digestive tract that also has circulatory function. Most ctenophores feed on plankton and are bioluminescent, producing brilliant displays of blue or green light at night. Ctenophores are related to cnidarians but are more highly evolved because their bodies have a true mesoderm. Also called comb jelly