alcyonianadj.n.
/ˌalsɪˈəʊnɪən/, U.S. /ˌælsɪˈoʊniən/ Zoology. Now rare.
A. adj.
Of the nature of or resembling an alcyonium; spec. = alcyonarian adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Diploblastica > phylum Coelenterata > [adjective] > of or relating to the Anthozoa > relating to order Alcyonaria
alcyonian1824
alcyonarian1858
1824 tr. J. V. F. Lamouroux Corallina 242 After this description..it will be easy to conceive how complicated is the organisation of the Alcyonian polypi [Fr. des polypes des Alcyons]; many points of resemblance seem to unite them to the animals of the harder Polypidoms.
1857 A. Wright Observing Eye (ed. 2) vii. 62 The alcyonian coral..might be taken for sponge, were it not for the beautiful little polypes pushing out from the holes their leafy tentacula.
1902 Proc. Royal Soc. Victoria 15 80 Several specimens of the calcified segments of an Alcyonian stem from ‘Forsyth's’ appear identical with those of a specimen of Melitodes in the Museum of the Biological department.
2007 tr. L. Ballesta & P. Descamp Planet Ocean 38 (caption) Soft coral cowry (5/8 inch) on an alcyonian soft coral.
B. n.
= alcyonarian n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Diploblastica > phylum Coelenterata > [noun] > class Anthozoa Actinozoa > order Alcyonaria > genus Alcyonium > member of
sea-foam1725
dead man's hand1755
dead man's toes1755
mermaid's glove1793
alcyonian1844
alcyonoid1857
dead man's finger1860
alcyonarian1861
dead man's thumb1863
sea-finger1876
1844 Med. Times 27 Jan. 263/1 The polypus, which forms the link between the alcyonians and the zoantharia.
1853 Naturalist 3 102 In the family of Alcyonians, examples of which are abundant on our own shores, the Polypes dwell together in great numbers.
1877 H. H. Higgins Notes Field-naturalist in Western Tropics 153 One purplish lilac Alcyonian, stout and erect, with very blunt short tips, was a most desirable acquisition.
1989 R. N. Hughes Functional Biol. Clonal Animals vii. 260 Some alcyonians, bryozoans and ascidians propagate by endogenously controlled fission.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.n.1824- night dog
- night drive
- night driver
- night duty
- night earring
- night editor
- night effect
- night encampment
- night error
- night express
- night eye
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- night fossicker