veliger

noun

ve·​li·​ger ˈvē-lə-jər How to pronounce veliger (audio) ˈve- How to pronounce veliger (audio)
: a larval mollusk in the stage when it has developed the velum

Examples of veliger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web They were transported to new areas as adults that had attached to the hulls or outside of engines of recreational boats or as microscopic larvae - veligers - hiding in bilge, live wells or other water-holding areas of boats. Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2018 Their microscopic larvae, called veligers, reached the United States by way of the Great Lakes in the late 1980s, probably as stowaways inside a freighter's ballast tanks. OregonLive.com, 10 Feb. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'veliger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

velum + -i- + Latin -ger "carrying, wearing," nominal derivative of gerere "to carry, wear, perform" — more at jest

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of veliger was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near veliger

Cite this Entry

“Veliger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veliger. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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