Meanings
plural siphonophores
- Any transparent marine hydrozoans, of the order Siphonophorae, that float or swim as colonies of polyps.
Is an individual hydra polyp analogous to an entire siphonophore colony – or is it more like a member of that colony?
2017 October 24, Derek J Skillings, “Life is not easily bounded”, in Aeon, archived from the original on 08 Feb 20181 more example
However, two beaches in Tarragona in southern Catalonia were closed in July after Portuguese man o’war (Physalia physalis) were spotted in the water. The sting of this siphonophore (it is not technically a jellyfish, but they are closely related) is especially painful.
2024 August 24, Stephen Burgen, “Resorts on Spain’s Costa Brava struggle with invasion of jellyfish as seas warm”, in The Guardian, →ISSNSynonyms: siphonophoran
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny transparent marine hydrozoans, of the order Siphonophorae, that float or swim as colonies of polyps.
Origin
- translingualSiphonophorae
- Englishsiphonophore
From siphono- + -phore, likely from translingual Siphonophorae.
More words from translingual
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish uimapolyyppi
- uimapolyyppihydrozoan of the order Siphonophorae
French siphonophore
- siphonophorehydrozoan of the order Siphonophorae
Japanese 管クラゲ
- 管クラゲ (kudakurage)hydrozoan of the order Siphonophorae
Russian сифонофо́ра
- сифонофо́ра (sifonofóra)hydrozoan of the order Siphonophorae
Spanish sifonóforo
- sifonóforohydrozoan of the order Siphonophorae
Cite this entry
siphonophore. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/siphonophore
“siphonophore.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/siphonophore. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “siphonophore,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/siphonophore.
Source: siphonophore on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.