serpula

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noun

Any of numerous species of tubicolous annelids of the genus Serpula and allied genera of the family Serpulidae that secrete a calcareous tube, usually irregularly contorted, but sometimes spirally coiled, with a wreath of plumelike and often bright-colored gills around its head, and usually an operculum to close the aperture of its tube when it retracts.

Similar
calcareous tubewormserpulid tubewormfanwormplume worm
OriginLatin serpula →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

nounserpula (plural serpulas or serpulae)

plural serpulas · plural serpulae

  1. Any of numerous species of tubicolous annelids of the genus Serpula and allied genera of the family Serpulidae that secrete a calcareous tube, usually irregularly contorted, but sometimes spirally coiled, with a wreath of plumelike and often bright-colored gills around its head, and usually an operculum to close the aperture of its tube when it retracts.

    Synonyms: calcareous tubeworm, serpulid tubeworm, fanworm, plume worm

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of numerous species of tubicolous annelids of the genus Serpula and allied genera of the family Serpulidae that secrete a calcareous tube, usually irregularly contorted, but sometimes spirally coiled, with a wreath of plumelike and often bright-colored gills around its head, and usually an operculum to close the aperture of its tube when it retracts.

Similar
calcareous tubewormserpulid tubewormfanwormplume worm

Origin

  1. Latinserpula
  2. Englishserpula

Borrowed from Latin serpula. See serpent.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

perusal
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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