sea anemone

noun

: any of numerous usually solitary anthozoan polyps (order Actiniaria) whose form, bright and varied colors, and cluster of tentacles superficially resemble a flower

Examples of sea anemone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The starlet sea anemone is the only species known to produce tentacles this way, but there is evidence that food intake effects the development of other cnidarian species. Claire Bugos, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020 Imagining a coral reef might bring to mind scenes teeming with fish, crustaceans and sea anemones. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 Their closest relatives that still live today include sponges, sea anemones and comb jellies. Viviane Callier, Scientific American, 17 May 2023 Animals discovered in the patch include crustaceans, sea anemones, mollusks and worms, the authors said. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2023 That, according to Laudet, might have something to do with adapting to the harsher environment presented by that species of anemone, which is more toxic than the magnificent sea anemone and with shorter tentacles, providing less shelter. Francesca Giuliani-Hoffman, CNN, 26 May 2021 But the researchers realized their probable identity as sea anemones (the order Actiniaria) after reexamining thousands of museum specimens. Byscience News Staff, science.org, 30 Mar. 2023 Just an auteur singing her songs, dancing like a sea anemone in the darkness of the ocean floor. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2023 While a sea anemone is nothing rare, fossil versions are highly uncommon. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 8 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sea anemone.' 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

1742, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sea anemone was in 1742

Dictionary Entries Near sea anemone

Cite this Entry

“Sea anemone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sea%20anemone. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

sea anemone

noun
: any of several invertebrate sea animals that are coelenterates, look like flowers, and have clusters of brightly colored tentacles around the mouth

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