hydrozoan

[ hahy-druh-zoh-uh n ]
/ ˌhaɪ drəˈzoʊ ən /

noun

any freshwater or marine coelenterate of the class Hydrozoa, including free-swimming or attached types, as the hydra, in which one developmental stage, either the polyp or medusa, is absent, and colonial types, as the Portuguese man-of-war, in which both medusa and polyp stages are present in a single colony.

adjective

belonging or pertaining to the Hydrozoa.

Origin of hydrozoan

1875–80; < New Latin Hydrozo(a) (see hydro-1, -zoa) + -an

British Dictionary definitions for hydrozoan

hydrozoan
/ (ˌhaɪdrəʊˈzəʊən) /

noun

any colonial or solitary coelenterate of the class Hydrozoa, which includes the hydra, Portuguese man-of-war, and the sertularians

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the Hydrozoa