ascidian

as·cid·i·an

A0454100 (ə-sĭd′ē-ən)n. See sea squirt.

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[From New Latin Ascidia, genus name, from Greek askidion, diminutive of askos, wineskin.]

ascidian

(əˈsɪdɪən) n1. (Zoology) any minute marine invertebrate animal of the class Ascidiacea, such as the sea squirt, the adults of which are degenerate and sedentary: subphylum Tunicata (tunicates)2. (Zoology) ascidian tadpole the free-swimming larva of an ascidian, having a tadpole-like tail containing the notochord and nerve cordadj (Zoology) of, relating to, or belonging to the Ascidiacea

as•cid•i•an

(əˈsɪd i ən)

n. 1. any tunicate of the class Ascidiacea, having in the larval stage a notochord, a characteristic of the embryonic vertebrate. adj. 2. belonging or pertaining to the class Ascidiacea. [1855–60; < New Latin Ascidi(um) a tunicate genus < Greek askídion a small bag + -an¹]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

ascidian - minute sedentary marine invertebrate having a saclike body with siphons through which water enters and leavestunicate, urochord, urochordate - primitive marine animal having a saclike unsegmented body and a urochord that is conspicuous in the larvaAscidiaceae, class Ascidiaceae - sometimes classified as an order: sea squirtssea squirt - ascidian that can contract its body and eject streams of water