archibenthal
|ar-chi-ben-thal|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑr.kɪˈbɛn.θəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑː.kɪˈbɛn.θəl/
upper deep-sea zone
Etymology
'archibenthal' is a modern scientific coinage combining the Greek prefix 'archi-' (meaning 'chief' or 'extreme') with 'benthal', derived from Greek 'benthos' (βάθος) meaning 'depth'.
'benthos' (Greek) gave rise to terms such as 'benthic' and 'benthal' in scientific Latin/English usage; combining 'archi-' + 'benthal' produced 'archibenthal' to designate a principal/deep portion of the bathyal region.
Originally built from elements meaning roughly 'chief depth' or 'extreme depth', the term came to be used specifically for the upper bathyal (deep continental-slope) zone rather than an abstract notion of 'principal depth'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the marine depth zone corresponding to the upper part of the bathyal region (the area beyond the continental shelf and above the abyssal plain); broadly, the deeper continental-slope region—usually referring to waters at depths of several hundred to a few thousand meters.
Specimens were collected from the archibenthal at depths of 800 m.
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Adjective 1
relating to or occurring in the archibenthal zone (the upper bathyal region of the deep sea).
Researchers described several archibenthal species previously unknown to science.
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Last updated: 2025/10/06 11:56