Onychophora
/ˌɒnɪˈkɒfərə/noun
A phylum of soft-bodied, caterpillar-like invertebrates commonly known as velvet worms.
Did you know?Onychophora is built from Greek onyx, onych- (“claw, nail”) + -phoros (“bearing”), so its scientific name is basically a tiny anatomical spell for “the claw-bearers.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
onyx, onych-
“claw, nail”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-phoros
“bearing, carrying”
19th Century
Greek/Scientific Latin
Onychophora
“a taxonomic name meaning claw-bearing animals”
Modern English
English
onychophora
“a phylum of velvet worms”
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