telson

noun

tel·​son ˈtel-sən How to pronounce telson (audio)
: the terminal segment of the body of an arthropod or segmented worm
especially : that of a crustacean forming the middle lobe of the tail

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Its telson is both pointy and serrated: the Ginsu II of the Silurian. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2017 It's also got something that looks like a tail but is actually called a telson — used to flip over the body, which can weigh 10 pounds. Carol Motsinger, USA TODAY, 22 Sep. 2020 Uraraneida have more primitive spinnerets and retain the telson that modern day spiders no longer have. John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, 5 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'telson.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek, end of a plowed field; perhaps akin to Greek telos end

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of telson was in 1855

Dictionary Entries Near telson

Cite this Entry

“Telson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telson. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

Medical Definition

telson

noun
tel·​son ˈtel-sən How to pronounce telson (audio)
: the terminal segment of the body of an arthropod or segmented worm

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