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Echinoid: meaning, definitions and examples

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echinoid

 

[ ˈɛkɪnɔɪd ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

sea creature

An echinoid is a type of marine animal belonging to the class Echinoidea, characterized by their spherical or flattened bodies covered in movable spines.

Synonyms

echinoidea, sea urchin

Examples of usage

  • The echinoid uses its spines for protection from predators.
  • Echinoids are also known as sea urchins.
Context #2 | Noun

paleontology

In paleontology, an echinoid refers to the fossilized remains of ancient sea urchins or related species.

Synonyms

echinoidea fossil, fossilized sea urchin

Examples of usage

  • The paleontologist discovered a well-preserved echinoid fossil in the sedimentary rock.
  • Echinoids provide valuable insights into prehistoric marine ecosystems.

Translations

Translations of the word "echinoid" in other languages:

🇵🇹 equinóide

🇮🇳 इचिनोइड

🇩🇪 Seeigel

🇮🇩 landak laut

🇺🇦 морський їжак

🇵🇱 jeżowiec

🇯🇵 ウニ

🇫🇷 échinoderme

🇪🇸 equinodermo

🇹🇷 deniz kestanesi

🇰🇷 성게

🇸🇦 قنفذ البحر

🇨🇿 ježovka

🇸🇰 morský ježko

🇨🇳 海胆

🇸🇮 morski ježek

🇮🇸 ígull

🇰🇿 теңіз кірпісі

🇬🇪 ზღვის ზღარბი

🇦🇿 dəniz kirpisi

🇲🇽 erizo de mar

Etymology

The word 'echinoid' is derived from the Greek word 'ekhinos', meaning 'hedgehog', due to the resemblance of some species to hedgehogs. Echinoids have existed in the Earth's oceans for over 400 million years, with fossil records dating back to the Ordovician period. These fascinating creatures play a vital role in marine ecosystems, contributing to biodiversity and ecological balance.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,560, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.