asaphid
|a-saph-id|
/əˈsæfɪd/
related to Asaphida trilobites
Etymology
'asaphid' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'Asaphida', where the genus name 'Asaphus' (from Greek 'asaphes') meant 'indistinct' (a- 'not' + saphes 'clear').
'asaphid' changed from the New Latin taxonomic name 'Asaphida' (based on the genus name 'Asaphus') and eventually entered English as the noun/adjective 'asaphid' used in paleontological contexts.
Initially it referred to the taxonomic name for a group of trilobites; over time it came to be used in English to mean a member of that group or anything relating to that group.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a trilobite belonging to the order Asaphida (or the family Asaphidae); a member of that paleontological group.
A well-preserved asaphid was recovered from the Silurian shale.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/25 09:46