antipatharian
|an-ti-pa-tha-ri-an|
/ˌæn.tɪˈpæθəriən/
black coral (related)
Etymology
'antipatharian' originates from New Latin 'Antipatharia', itself based on Greek elements, where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'pathos' meant 'feeling'.
'antipatharian' was formed in English from the taxonomic name 'Antipatharia' (used in zoological classification in the 19th century) and came to be used as both a noun (a member of that order) and an adjective (relating to that order).
Initially it referred specifically to the taxonomic group 'Antipatharia'; over time it retained that scientific sense and also came to be used adjectivally to describe characteristics or studies related to those corals.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member (individual) of the order Antipatharia, commonly called a black coral; a black-coral organism.
The museum's collection included a rare antipatharian from a deep reef.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of the order Antipatharia (black corals).
Researchers published a paper on antipatharian growth patterns.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/06 06:02