serpula

noun

ser·​pu·​la

ˈsərpyələ

1

capitalized : a genus (the type of the family Serpulidae) of small marine polychaete worms having brightly colored gills and constructing and living in contorted calcareous tubes that may be closed with horny opercula

2

plural serpulas

-ləz

or serpulae

-ˌlē,

-ˌlī

: any worm of the genus Serpula or family Serpulidae

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, little snake, from serpere to creep

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