ophiure

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromὄφις“serpent”
2. New Latin · derived fromophiurus“brittle star”
3. English todayophiure

From translingual genus name Ophiura (originally species name in Linnaeus), from New Latin ophiurus (“brittle star”), from Ancient Greek ὄφις (óphis, “serpent”) + οὐρά (ourá, “tail”) (referring to the serpent-like arms of the brittle star). This English form by conflation with suffix -ure (“result of an action; official procedure”).

Words from the same roots