—n. any aquatic invertebrate animal of the phylum Bryozoa, forming colonies attached to rocks, seaweeds, etc. Also called POLYZOAN.
—adj. of or relating to the phylum Bryozoa.
Derivatives:
bryozoology n.
Etymology: Gk bruon moss + zoia animals
* * *
/bruy'euh zoh"euhn/, adj.
1. belonging or pertaining to the Bryozoa.
n.
2. Also called moss animal. any sessile marine or freshwater animal of the phylum Bryozoa, forming branching, encrusting, or gelatinous mosslike colonies of many small polyps, each having a circular or horseshoe-shaped ridge bearing ciliated tentacles, occurring on algae or on shaded objects. Cf. ectoproct, entoproct.
[1870-75; BRYOZO(A) + -AN]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.