Onychophoran

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A phylum of elongated invertebrates notable for their numerous paired legs and the secretion of a sticky fluid used for catching prey and movement in damp environments
2. This group of creatures features a soft body structure with multiple limb pairs and is adapted to moist habitats, where they utilize slime for hunting and mobility
3. A type of soft-bodied invertebrate characterized by multiple pairs of legs and an ability to produce a mucous secretion for locomotion and capturing food in humid surroundings

Etymology: Onychophorans are the velvet worms, soft-bodied animals with stubby legs that spit sticky slime to snare prey. Their name is built from Greek roots: "onycho-", from "onyx" meaning claw or nail, and "-phore", from "phoros", meaning bearing or carrying. Taken together, the name describes an animal that bears claws, a reference to the small claws tipping its many legs. The group's scientific name, Onychophora, was formed in this way, and the English noun adds the suffix "-an", the common ending for members of a group, as in "Darwinian" or "mammalian" for related forms. So the word is a technical label assembled from classical parts rather than a term that passed down through ordinary speech.