Aristotle's lantern

noun

: the protrusible 5-sided masticatory apparatus of a sea urchin, each side being made up of a tooth with its supporting ossicles and the muscles that activate it

Word History

Etymology

lantern, translation of Greek lamptēr; from a passage in Aristotle where the shape of a sea urchin is said to resemble the frame of a lantern

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Cite this Entry

“Aristotle's lantern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Aristotle%27s%20lantern. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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