polyparyn.

1753 Philos. Trans. 1751–2 (Royal Soc.) 47 107 The size and shape of this polypary is sufficiently seen in Fig. A.

1835 W. Kirby On Power of God in Creation of Animals I. v. 166 A fixed calcareous house or polypary as it is called consisting often of innumerable cells.

1872 J. D. Dana Corals & Coral Islands i. 17 Science is hardly yet rid of such terms as polypary, polypidom, which imply that each coral is the constructed hive or house of a swarm of polyps.

1946 H. Woods Palaeontol. Invertebr. (ed. 8) 57 The entire skeleton of the graptolite is termed the rhabdosome or polypary.

1968 P. Brien in M. Florkin & B. T. Scheer Chem. Zool. II. i. i. 12 Closely related to them are the Clionides, sponges perforating their calcareous support (rocks, polyparies, shells).

1979 E. N. K. Clarkson Invertebr. Palaeontol. & Evol. x. 239/2 This [graptolite] colony is known as a rhabdosome (an older and less correct name is polypary).

2002 S. J. Gould Struct. Evolutionary Theory x. 1153 Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus also develops three polymorphic variants, clearly interpretable as intensifications of either the oral or aboral ends of the main polypary axis.

1890 Cent. Dict. Polyparian, of or pertaining to a polypary.