any marine invertebrate animal of the phylum Brachiopoda, having a ciliated feeding organ (lophophore) and a shell consisting of dorsal and ventral valves
Also called: lamp shell. See also bryozoan
Word origin
C19: from New Latin Brachiopoda; see brachium, -pod
brachiopod in American English
(ˈbreɪkioʊˌpɑd; ˈbrækioʊˌpɑd)
noun
any of a phylum (Brachiopoda) of marine animals with hinged upper and lower shells enclosing two armlike parts with tentacles that are used for guiding minute food particles to the mouth