ctenophore

noun

cteno·​phore ˈte-nə-ˌfȯr  ˈtē- 

: any of a phylum (Ctenophora) of marine animals superficially resembling jellyfishes but having biradial symmetry and swimming by means of eight bands of transverse ciliated plates

called also comb jelly

ctenophoran

tə-ˈnä-fə-rən 

noun or adjective

Examples of ctenophore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some of these species came from early animal lineages, like the ctenophores, the poriferans, the placozoans, and the cnidarians. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 7 May 2025

Comb jellies, or ctenophores, are transparent creatures that are not closely related to jellyfish, despite their name. —Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

Going Deep Comb jellies, or ctenophores, are voracious predators in fragile bodies. —Yasemin Saplakoglu, WIRED, 20 Oct. 2024

Comb jellies, or ctenophores, are marine invertebrates with squishy bodies propelled by hair-like cilia. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2024

And deep-water ctenophores are a particularly dramatic case: Their lipids form especially exaggerated cone shapes. —Rudy Molinek, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024

If the common ancestor lacked neurons, and neurons in most animals arose after ctenophores and sponges had already branched off, then the neurons in ctenophores must have evolved independently. —Cara Giovanetti, Scientific American, 4 Jan. 2024

Unlike ctenophores, however, placozoans have no neurons. —Cara Giovanetti, Scientific American, 4 Jan. 2024

Recent discoveries have shown that ctenophores have no synapses, the tiny connections between neurons. —Viviane Callier, Scientific American, 17 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Greek kten-, kteis + pherein to carry — more at bear

First Known Use

circa 1882, in the meaning defined above