Acalepha
/akəˈliːfə/Zoology. Now historical
noun
Treated as plural: a former class of coelenterate organisms including jellyfish, comb jellies, siphonophores, and (originally) sea anemones. With singular concord (also in form acalepha): an animal of this class (usually in plural, the animals of this class collectively).
- Introduced by Cuvier as a subdivision of Radiata; the sea anemones were later moved to the class Polypi. By some later authors restricted to the Scyphozoa or true jellyfish..
Origin
Early 19th century; earliest use found in John Fleming (1785–1857), naturalist and Free Church of Scotland minister. Partly from scientific Latin Acalepha, class name, alteration of Acalephae; and partly from scientific Latin Acalephae, class name, feminine plural from ancient Greek ἀκαλήϕη stinging nettle, sea anemone (so called on account of its stinging properties), of unknown origin. Compare French Acalèphes, plural (Cuvier: see above).