gastrozooid
|gas-tro-zoo-id|
/ˌɡæstrəˈzuːɔɪd/
feeding (stomach-like) zooid
Etymology
'gastrozooid' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'gastēr' meaning 'stomach' and 'zóon' meaning 'animal', combined with the suffix '-oid' (from Greek 'eîdos') meaning 'form' or 'likeness'.
'gastrozooid' changed from a New Latin/19th-century scientific formation combining 'gastro-' + 'zooid' and eventually became the modern English technical term 'gastrozooid' used in zoology.
Initially formed to mean a 'stomach-like animal (or part)', the term's usage narrowed in zoological contexts to refer specifically to a 'feeding zooid' within colonial animals.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a feeding zooid in a colonial animal (such as certain cnidarians or hydrozoans) that bears the mouth and digestive structures and is specialized for capturing and ingesting food.
In the Portuguese man o' war colony, gastrozooids capture prey with their tentacles and begin digestion for the whole colony.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/09 12:03