planula
|plan-u-la|
C2
/ˈplæn.jʊ.lə/
larval form of cnidarians
Etymology
Etymology Information
'planula' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'planus,' where 'planus' meant 'flat.'
Historical Evolution
'planus' transformed into the New Latin word 'planula,' and eventually became the modern English word 'planula.'
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'flat,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a larval form of cnidarians.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a free-swimming or crawling larval form of certain cnidarians, such as jellyfish, characterized by a flattened, ciliated, bilaterally symmetrical body.
The planula eventually settles on a substrate and develops into a polyp.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/05/07 12:49