Illustration of sea cucumber
sea cucumber
noun
: any of a class (Holothurioidea) of echinoderms having a tough muscular elongate body with tentacles surrounding the mouth
called also holothurian
Examples of sea cucumber in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During these dives, researchers found four unfamiliar-looking orange sea cucumbers, the study said.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
But at luxe Naro, the newest restaurant from the couple behind Atomix, the jeon was remade into a light, eggy disc of cod and potato with garnishes of spinach and cubed sea cucumber, pre-bathed in citrusy dipping sauce.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Surprisingly, the forceful expulsion of its organs isn’t fatal to the sea cucumber.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
By expelling its viscera, the sea cucumber can buy itself time to crawl away from threats and seek safety.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
Though this serves as a distraction tactic, sea cucumbers may eject their innards simply when stressed or when environmental conditions aren’t favorable.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
The book also shows the evolution of sea cucumbers from the Jurassic era roughly 180 million years ago up to the present day.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Nov. 2023
Others include sea cucumbers, sea urchins, coral, and other marine creatures known for their deep intellectual pursuits.
—Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2023
Millions of years ago, animals in this phylum—including starfish, brittle stars, sea cucumbers and sea urchins—were all bilateral.
—Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
But at luxe Naro, the newest restaurant from the couple behind Atomix, the jeon was remade into a light, eggy disc of cod and potato with garnishes of spinach and cubed sea cucumber, pre-bathed in citrusy dipping sauce.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Surprisingly, the forceful expulsion of its organs isn’t fatal to the sea cucumber.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
By expelling its viscera, the sea cucumber can buy itself time to crawl away from threats and seek safety.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
Though this serves as a distraction tactic, sea cucumbers may eject their innards simply when stressed or when environmental conditions aren’t favorable.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
The book also shows the evolution of sea cucumbers from the Jurassic era roughly 180 million years ago up to the present day.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Nov. 2023
Others include sea cucumbers, sea urchins, coral, and other marine creatures known for their deep intellectual pursuits.
—Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2023
Millions of years ago, animals in this phylum—including starfish, brittle stars, sea cucumbers and sea urchins—were all bilateral.
—Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sea cucumber.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1841, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near sea cucumber
Cite this Entry
“Sea cucumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sea%20cucumber. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
sea cucumber
noun
: any of a class of invertebrate sea animals that are echinoderms with a long tough flexible muscular body resembling a cucumber and having tentacles surrounding the mouth at one end
More from Merriam-Webster on sea cucumber
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sea cucumber
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