cannonball jellyfish
noun
: a nearly globular, scyphozoan jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris) of warm waters that has a greatly reduced mouth, short oral arms, and no tentacles and that often occurs in swarms many miles in extent
But cannonball jellyfish don't sting unless they're picked up. The long-strand tentacled jellyfish also known as sea nettles and Portuguese man of war are much more dangerous and menacing …—
Drew Dixon, Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville), 21 Apr. 2011
Drew Dixon, Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville), 21 Apr. 2011Fishing boats from beleaguered Gulf Coast towns could be on the water by next month trawling for cannonball jellyfish, a fist-sized mass of fiber that's inspiring dreams of wealth. Officials see jellyfish as a product ready for export to Asia, where it is popular in Chinese, Thai and Korean cooking.—John Kennedy, Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 1996
John Kennedy, Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 1996called also cabbagehead jellyfish, jellyball
Word History
First Known Use
1977, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of cannonball jellyfish was
in 1977
Dictionary Entries Near cannonball jellyfish
Cite this Entry
“Cannonball jellyfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cannonball%20jellyfish. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
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