amphioxides
|am-phi-ox-ides|
C2
/ˌæmfiˈɒksaɪdz/
marine animal genus
Etymology
Etymology Information
'amphioxides' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'amphi' meaning 'both' and 'oxys' meaning 'sharp'.
Historical Evolution
The term 'amphioxides' was derived from the Greek word 'amphioxus', which was used to describe the sharp, pointed shape of these creatures.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to the sharp, pointed shape of the creatures, but over time it evolved to denote the specific genus of marine animals.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a genus of small, translucent, fish-like marine animals belonging to the subphylum Cephalochordata, closely related to the lancelets.
Amphioxides are often studied for their evolutionary significance.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/22 07:36