Search Result for "physalia": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. Portuguese man-of-war;
[syn: Physalia, genus Physalia]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Physalia \Phy*sa"li*a\, prop. n. [NL., fr. Gr. fysalli`s a bladder, fr. fy^sa a bellows.] (Zool.) A genus of large oceanic Siphonophora which includes the Portuguese man-of-war. [1913 Webster] Note: It has a large air sac, or float, with a sail-like crest on its upper side. Numerous zooids of different kinds are attached to the under side of the float. Some of the zooids have very long tentacles; some have a mouth and digest food; others produce gonophores. The American species (Physalia arethusa) is brilliantly colored, the float being pink or purple, and bright blue; the zooids blue. It is noted for its virulent stinging powers, as well as for its beautiful colors, graceful motions, and its ability to sail to windward. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Physalia n 1: Portuguese man-of-war [syn: Physalia, genus Physalia]