troglobite
|trog-lo-bite|
🇺🇸
/ˈtrɑɡəˌbaɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˈtrɒɡləˌbaɪt/
cave-dweller adapted to life in darkness
Etymology
'troglobite' originates from Modern Latin, specifically the word 'troglobites', where Ancient Greek 'trōglē' meant 'cave' and 'bíos' meant 'life'.
'troglobite' changed from the Modern Latin word 'troglobites' and was adopted into English as the scientific term 'troglobite' in the late 19th to early 20th century.
Initially it referred simply to an organism found in caves; over time it has come to imply specific cave-adapted traits (e.g., loss of pigment and eyes, enhanced non-visual senses).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an animal or other organism that lives entirely in caves and is specially adapted to the cave environment (often lacking pigment and eyes and having enhanced non-visual senses).
The blind salamander is a well-known troglobite that spends its whole life in subterranean waters.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/30 08:58