Acanthodean

/ækænθoʊˈdiːən/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or characteristic of acanthodea, the group of ancient spiny-finned fish from the Paleozoic era.

Etymology

From 'acanthodea' + '-an' (adjectival suffix), directly describing something that belongs to or relates to the acanthodea group.

Kelly Says

When paleontologists found fossils of these creatures, the spines were so prominent that they named the entire group based on this feature—sometimes one dramatic characteristic tells the whole story!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.