cirripede
|cir-ri-pede|
/ˈsɪrɪpiːd/
tuft‑ or curl‑footed crustacean
Etymology
'cirripede' originates from New Latin 'Cirripedia', ultimately from Latin elements 'cirrus' meaning 'curl, tuft' and 'pes, pedis' meaning 'foot'.
'cirripede' passed through scientific New Latin 'Cirripedia' and French 'cirripède' before becoming the modern English term 'cirripede'.
Initially it referred to the characteristic 'curl- or tuft-like feet' (the cirri) of these animals; over time it came to denote the animals themselves (barnacles and related sessile crustaceans).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a marine crustacean of the subclass Cirripedia (such as a barnacle), typically sessile and attached to surfaces, and feeding by extending feathery appendages called cirri.
A cirripede had attached itself to the ship's hull.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/03 15:48