protostome

noun

pro·​to·​stome ˈprō-tə-ˌstōm How to pronounce protostome (audio)
: any of a major group (Protostomia) of bilateral metazoan animals (such as mollusks, annelids, and arthropods) characterized in typical forms by determinate and spiral cleavage, formation of a mouth and anus directly from the blastopore, and formation of the coelom by splitting of the embryonic mesoderm compare deuterostome

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Protostomia, from prot- + Greek stoma mouth — more at stomach entry 1

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of protostome was in 1959

Dictionary Entries Near protostome

Cite this Entry

“Protostome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/protostome. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on protostome

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!