Search Dictionary
Definition of coelacanth
coelacanth
/ˈsiː.lə.kænθ/
coe · la · canth
Plural:coelacanths
coelacanth Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
10
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
coelacanth Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A large, primitive lobe-finned marine fish found primarily in the deep coastal waters of the Indian Ocean, famous for being a 'living fossil' that was thought to have been extinct for 65 million years until a live specimen was discovered in 1938.
Example
"The discovery of a living coelacanth off the coast of South Africa was one of the most astonishing zoological events of the twentieth century."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for coelacanth• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in 1839 by Swiss paleontologist Louis Agassiz from Modern Latin Coelacanthus, derived from Greek 'koilos' (hollow) and 'akantha' (spine), referring to the hollow rays of the fossilized fish's tail fin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Coelacanth. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/coelacanth