ZOOPHYTE

zoophyte

(noun) any of various invertebrate animals resembling a plant such as a sea anemone or coral or sponge

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

zoophyte (plural zoophytes)

(biology, historical) An animal thought to have the characteristics of a plant, later specifically an invertebrate of the (former) group Zoophyta, comprising sponges, corals and sea anemones. [from 17th c.]

(biology, historical) A plant believed to have the characteristics of an animal, especially a sensitive plant or vegetable lamb. [from 17th c.]

Source: Wiktionary


Zo"ö*phyte, n. Etym: [F. zoophyte, Gr. Zodiac, and Be, v. i.] (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of numerous species of invertebrate animals which more or less resemble plants in appearance, or mode of growth, as the corals, gorgonians, sea anemones, hydroids, bryozoans, sponges, etc., especially any of those that form compound colonies having a branched or treelike form, as many corals and hydroids. (b) Any one of the Zoöphyta.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

8 November 2024

REPLACEMENT

(noun) the act of furnishing an equivalent person or thing in the place of another; “replacing the star will not be easy”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

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