Chilostomatous

/ˌkaɪloʊˈstɒmətəs/ adjective

Definition

Describing organisms or structures that possess or are characterized by a lip-shaped mouth or opening.

Etymology

From chilostoma plus the adjectival suffix -ous, meaning 'having the quality of.' This technical term appears primarily in zoological literature describing mollusks and marine species.

Kelly Says

This rare adjective is a zoologist's way of saying 'hey, this creature has a distinctly lip-shaped mouth opening'—and it's one of those words that shows how scientists create super-specific descriptive terms from ancient Greek building blocks!

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