alcyonarian
/ˌalsɪəˈnɛːrɪən/Zoology
adjective
Belonging to the Alcyonaria, a group of anthozoan cnidarians comprising the soft corals, having polyps with eight pinnate tentacles; of or relating to this group.
- The group is now a subclass that also includes the gorgonians and sea pens; its usual name is now Octocorallia..
noun
An alcyonarian coral; = octocorallian.
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Thomas Rymer Jones (1810–1880), morphologist and physiologist. From scientific Latin Alcyonaria, group name (1830 or earlier; compare French Alcyonaires, plural noun; from alcyon + -aria) + -an.