Main Entry: Por·tu·guese man–of–war

Pronunciation: \ˌpȯr-chə-ˌgēz-ˌman-əv-ˈwȯr\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural Portuguese man–of–wars \-ˈwȯrz\ also Portuguese men–of–war \-ˌmen-əv-ˈwȯr\

: any siphonophore of the genus Physalia including large tropical and subtropical oceanic forms having a crested bladderlike float which bears a colony comprised of three types of zooids on the lower surface with one of the three having stinging tentacles

[Portuguese man{ndash}of{ndash}war illustration]