Caecilian
/siːˈsɪl.i.ən/noun
A limbless amphibian of the order Gymnophiona, resembling a worm or snake.
Did you know?The name comes from Latin *caecus* meaning “blind,” and caecilians were so named because many species have tiny, hidden eyes and spend their lives burrowing in darkness.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
caecus
“blind; dark; hidden from sight”
Late Latin
Latin
caecilia
“blind one; a form associated with blindness”
18th Century
English
caecilian
“a name applied to these secretive, limbless amphibians”
Modern English
English
caecilian
“a limbless, burrowing amphibian of the order Gymnophiona”