parazoan

[ par-uh-zoh-uh n ]
/ ˌpær əˈzoʊ ən /
Zoology

noun

any member of a group of invertebrates comprising the phylum Porifera, the sponges.

adjective

of or relating to a parazoan organism.

Origin of parazoan

< New Latin parazo(a) (see para-1, -zoa) + -an

Words nearby parazoan

paravertebral ganglion, paravidya, parawing, paraxial, paraxon, parazoan, paraíba, parañaque, parboil, parbuckle, parca

British Dictionary definitions for parazoan

parazoan
/ (ˌpærəˈzəʊən) /

noun plural -zoa (-ˈzəʊə)

any multicellular invertebrate of the group Parazoa, which consists of the sponges (phylum Porifera) Compare metazoan

Word Origin for parazoan

C19: from parazoa, formed on the model of protozoa and metazoa, from para- 1 + Greek zōon animal