brittle star

noun

: any of a class or subclass (Ophiuroidea) of echinoderms that have slender flexible arms distinct from the central disk

Examples of brittle star 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.
In one fascinating recent case, it was discovered that the brooding brittle star (Amphipholis squamata) was likely the result of multiple hybridization events that resulted in a potentially asexual form of reproduction. Richard Pallardy, Ars Technica, 30 July 2024 Enlarge / The brooding brittle star (Amphipholis squamata) was likely the result of multiple hybridization events. Richard Pallardy, Ars Technica, 30 July 2024 Environmental scientists worry that harvesting nodules will send up plumes of sediment into the water and kill anything living on the seafloor, such as brittle stars and bizarre sea cucumber species like the one known as the gummy squirrel. Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024 Photos show the spark brittle star’s orange coloring while alive and dulled yellow tones after being preserved. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Millions of years ago, animals in this phylum—including starfish, brittle stars, sea cucumbers and sea urchins—were all bilateral. Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023 But not all energy is created equal: thermal energy (i.e., water temperature) dictates brittle star diversity patterns at depths shallower than 2,000 meters, but chemical energy takes over in the deep sea. Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 16 May 2016 O'Hara hopes that the discovery of this ancient lineage of brittle star will excite the public and academic community enough to justify funding for further taxonomic deep sea research. Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, 21 June 2021 Scientists from the French Natural History Museum collected an ancient specimen of brittle star (Ophiojura) in 2011. Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, 21 June 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brittle star was in 1841

Dictionary Entries Near brittle star

Cite this Entry

“Brittle star.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brittle%20star. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brittle star

noun
: any of a group of sea animals similar to the related starfishes but having slender flexible arms

More from Merriam-Webster on brittle star

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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