coelom

or coe·lome ce·lom

[ see-luhm ]

noun

, Zoology.

, plural coe·loms, coe·lo·ma·ta [si-, loh, -m, uh, -t, uh].

1. the body cavity of higher metazoans, between the body wall and intestine, lined with a mesodermal epithelium.

coelom

/ -ləm; sɪˈlɒmɪk; ˈsiːləʊm /

noun

1. the body cavity of many multicellular animals, situated in the mesoderm and containing the digestive tract and other visceral organs

coelom

/ sē′ləm /

1. The body cavity that forms from the mesoderm during the embryonic development of more complex animals. The coelom suspends the gut in fluid in the middle of the body, protecting it from gravity and allowing great increases in body size. The presence or absence of a coelom is important for the classification of animal phyla.
2. See more at deuterostome

Derived Forms

• coelomic, adjective

Other Words From

• coe·lom·ic [si-, lom, -ik, -, loh, -mik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of coelom¹

1875–80; < Greek koílōma cavity, equivalent to koilō-, variant stem of koiloûn to hollow out (verbal derivative of koîlos hollow) + -ma noun suffix denoting result

Word History and Origins

Origin of coelom¹

C19: from Greek koilōma cavity, from koilos hollow; see coel-

Example Sentences

The existence of two renal organs in Patella, and their relation to the pericardium (a portion of the coelom), is important.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of the endothelial cells lining the coelom are ciliated, the cilia keeping the corpusculated fluid contents in movement.

From Project Gutenberg

In Crania it is completely shut off from the main coelom, but in Lingula it communicates freely with this cavity.

From Project Gutenberg

When the mesoderm develops into two plates, a cavity, called the Primitive Coelom, appears between the plates.

From Project Gutenberg

There should also be only a single coelom, or a pair of lateral coelomic cavities.

From Project Gutenberg