A taxonomic grouping or scientific designation referring to the class or subclass of echinoid animals (sea urchins and related creatures).
From Greek 'echinos' (ἐχῖνος) meaning 'hedgehog' or 'sea urchin,' with the suffix '-idea' used in taxonomic classification to indicate a group or category.
Scientists invented the '-idea' suffix to help organize the massive diversity of ocean life, and it's still used today to name broad animal groups—it's the building block of biological classification!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.