statoblast

noun

stato·​blast ˈsta-tə-ˌblast How to pronounce statoblast (audio)
1
: a bud in a freshwater bryozoan that overwinters in a chitinous envelope and develops into a new individual in spring
2

Examples of statoblast in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Zooids are hermaphroditic but spread thanks to statoblasts, a clump of cells found on the organism that can reproduce asexually if broken off from the colony. Sarah Gibbens, National Geographic, 31 Aug. 2017

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of statoblast was in 1855

Dictionary Entries Near statoblast

Cite this Entry

“Statoblast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/statoblast. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on statoblast

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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