physa

noun

phy·​sa

ˈfīsə

1

a

capitalized : a widely distributed genus (the type of the family Physidae) of freshwater air-breathing snails, having a sinistral, ovate, usually rather short-spired shell and slender nonretractile tentacles with the eyes at their bases

b

plural -s : any snail of the genus Physa

2

plural physae

-ˌsē,

-ˌsī

also physas : the lower often retractile part of the body of some anthozoans

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek physa bellows

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