actinian

noun

ac·​tin·​i·​an ak-ˈti-nē-ən 

plural actinians

: sea anemone

… this study is apparently the first to present the development of a deep-sea actinian …

—Annie Mercier and Jean Francois Hamel

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Actinia, a sea anemone genus (from Greek aktīn-, aktís "ray, beam" + New Latin -ia -ia entry 1) + -an entry 1 — more at actin-

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for actinian

• linnean
• augustinian
• darwinian
• socinian