Main Entry:

¹sponge

Pronunciation:

\ˈspənj\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English, from Latin spongia, from Greek

Date:

before 12th century

1 a (1): an elastic porous mass of interlacing horny fibers that forms the internal skeleton of various marine animals (phylum Porifera) and is able when wetted to absorb water (2): a piece of sponge (as for scrubbing) (3): a porous rubber or cellulose product used similarly to a sponge b: any of a phylum (Porifera) of aquatic chiefly marine simple invertebrate animals that have a double-walled body of loosely aggregated cells with a skeleton supported by spicules or spongin and are filter feeders that are sessile as adults2: a pad (as of folded gauze) used in surgery and medicine (as to remove discharge)3: one who lives on others 4 a: a soft mixture of yeast, liquid, and flour that is allowed to rise and then mixed with additional ingredients to create bread dough b: a whipped dessert usually containing whites of eggs or gelatin c: a metal (as platinum) obtained in porous form usually by reduction without fusion <titanium sponge> d: the egg mass of a crab5: an absorbent contraceptive device that is impregnated with spermicide and inserted into the vagina before sexual intercourse to cover the cervix

synonyms see parasite

— sponge·like \ˈspənj-ˌlīk\ adjective