: any of an order (Coelacanthiformes) of lobe-finned fishes known chiefly from Paleozoic and Mesozoic fossils
Illustration of coelacanth
Examples of coelacanth 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.
Contemporary coelacanths are often described as living fossils.—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024 The only surviving members of this ancient lineage (400+ million year old), are two species of coelacanths and six species of lungfishes.—Scott Travers, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024 The ancient coelacanth, for instance, was presumed extinct for sixty million years until it was miraculously rediscovered off the coast of South Africa in the 1930s.—Scott Travers, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024 Many coelacanth fossils are found flattened, shattered, and incomplete.—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for coelacanth
Word History
Etymology
ultimately from Greek koilos hollow + akantha spine — more at cave
Share