Anthozoan
/ˌænθoʊˈzoʊən/noun
Any marine cnidarian in the class Anthozoa, including sea anemones and corals.
Did you know?Anthozoa was coined from Greek roots because sea anemones were imagined as flowerlike animals, and that poetic naming still lives in modern zoology.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ánthos
“flower”
Ancient Greek
Greek
zōion
“animal, living being”
Late 19th Century
New Latin
Anthozoa
“a class of marine animals, especially sea anemones and corals”
Modern English
English
anthozoan
“a member of the class Anthozoa”