siphonophore
noun
si·pho·no·phore
| \ sī-ˈfä-nə-ˌfȯr
, ˈsī-fə-nə-\
, ˈsī-fə-nə-\
Definition of siphonophore
: any of an order (Siphonophora) of colonial, free-swimming or floating, marine hydrozoans (such as the Portuguese man-of-war) that are mostly delicate, transparent, and colored and have zooids possessing specialized functions (such as feeding or locomotion)
… startling brilliance is often seen among siphonophores, gelatinous colonial animals whose different members work in unison.— William J. Broad Most siphonophores are small, transparent creatures of the open sea. They float at the surface among the plankton or swim actively, usually at shallow depths. As carnivores, they capture small planktonic animals in their net of tentacles.— Stephen Jay Gould
Examples of siphonophore in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ernst Haeckel’s intention was to make the natural forms of elusive organisms accessible to artists, and supply them with a new visual vocabulary of protists, mollusks, trilobites, siphonophores, fungi, and echinoderms. — The New York Review of Books, "Lucy Jakub," 16 Dec. 2018 Officials said anyone who spots the creature – which is a siphonophore, not a jellyfish, according to the publication – should report the sighting. — Madeline Farber, Fox News, "South Carolina beach sees rise in Man O'War stings, sightings, officials say," 10 Aug. 2018 According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Portuguese Man o' War - a species known as a siphonophore and named for its resemblance to an 18th-century Portuguese warship at full sail - often float in large groups. — Leada Gore, AL.com, "Portuguese Man o' War in Orange Beach, Gulf Shores prompts purple flag," 27 Feb. 2018 But the sting of the Portuguese man o’war—which is technically a siphonophore and not a jellyfish—is particularly painful. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Urine Luck: Vinegar Is the Best Treatment for a Man O’ War Sting," 4 May 2017 But the sting of the Portuguese man o’war—which is technically a siphonophore and not a jellyfish—is particularly painful. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Urine Luck: Vinegar Is the Best Treatment for a Man O’ War Sting," 4 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'siphonophore.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for siphonophore
siphonophore
noun
si·pho·no·phore
| \ sī-ˈfän-ə-ˌfō(ə)r
, ˈsī-fə-nə-
, -ˌfȯ(ə)r\
, ˈsī-fə-nə-
, -ˌfȯ(ə)r\
Medical Definition of siphonophore
: any of an order (Siphonophora) of compound free-swimming or floating pelagic hydrozoans — see portuguese man-of-war