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Definition of coelacanth

coelacanth

/ˈsiː.lə.kænθ/
coe · la · canth
Plural:coelacanths
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coelacanth Lexical Profile

coelacanth Game Scores & Validity

• 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

coeditor
coeducation
coeducational
coelacanth
coequal
coerce
coercer

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 Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/coelacanth
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