obelia

O1B3E1L1I1A1

noun

Any of various colonial marine hydroids of the genus Obelia.

OriginAncient Greek ὀβελία →
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Meanings

nounobelia (plural obelias)

plural obelias

  1. biologyAny of various colonial marine hydroids of the genus Obelia.

    […]some [hydroids], like obelias, live in stalked colonies[…].

    1999, Martin Walters, Jinny Johnson, The World of Animals, published 2011, page 31
    2 more examples

    All the polyps and branches of obelias are supported and protected by a thin, transparent, horny covering which is made by the outer layer of cells. About each polyp the horny covering is in the shape of a goblet or cup.

    1970, Marie M. Jenkins, Animals Without Parents, page 55

    Fragile but menacing, obelias are colonies ranging from one to eight inches in length which grow on seaweeds, rocks, and piles. The medusa, only one stage in the obelia’s life cycle, has anywhere from eight to 24 tentacles,[…].

    1975, Jacques Cousteau, The Ocean World of Jacques Cousteau: The Act of Life, page 42

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὀβελία“a round cake”
  2. Englishobelia

From Ancient Greek ὀβελία (obelía, “a round cake”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

obelia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obelia

MLA

“obelia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obelia. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “obelia,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obelia.

Source: obelia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.