nemertean

American

[ni-mur-tee-uhn] / nɪˈmɜr ti ən /

noun

any member of the invertebrate phylum Nemertea, comprising the ribbon worms.

nemertean British

/ ˈnɛməˌtaɪn, nɪˈmɜːtɪən /

noun

Also called: ribbon worm. any soft flattened ribbon-like marine worm of the phylum (or class) Nemertea (or Nemertina ), having an eversible threadlike proboscis

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the Nemertea

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

nemertine adjective

Etymology

Origin of nemertean

1860–65; < New Latin Nemerte ( a ), derivative of Nemertes a genus (< Greek Nēmertḗs name of a Nereid; see -a ²) + -an

Example Sentences

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Watch the video below to see a nemertean attack a polychaete with its proboscis.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023