ephippium

[ ih-fip-ee-uhm ]

noun

, Zoology.

, plural e·phip·pi·a [ih-, fip, -ee-, uh].

1. a thick shell, consisting of two chitinous plates, that encloses and protects the winter eggs of a cladoceran.

Other Words From

• e·phippi·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ephippium¹

1835–45; < New Latin < Greek ephíppion, noun use of neuter of ephíppios for putting on a horse, equivalent to ep- ep- + hípp ( os ) horse + -ios adj. suffix

Example Sentences

One species (A. ephippium), known as the Saddle Oyster, is common on some parts of our coast.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed its relationship to the Siamese species is much closer than to the R. ephippium of Borneo.

From Project Gutenberg

It is in no way closely related to the large Bornean R. ephippium.

From Project Gutenberg