hydrophyllium

noun

hy·​dro·​phyl·​li·​um

plural hydrophyllia

-ēə

: one of the leaflike organs regarded as greatly modified zooids that cover other zooids of many siphonophores

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from hydr- + -phyllium (from Greek phyllion small leaf, diminutive of phyllon leaf) (to blossom)

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!