benthos

noun

ben·​thos ˈben-ˌthäs How to pronounce benthos (audio)
: organisms that live on or in the bottom of a body of water

Examples of benthos in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Light and vision in the deep-sea benthos: II. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 8 Sep. 2012 Researchers believed that the remains of animals may have accounted for the benthos' carbon needs. Eric Cheung, CNN, 15 Jan. 2020

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek, depth, deep sea; akin to Greek bathys deep

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of benthos was in 1891

Dictionary Entries Near benthos

Cite this Entry

“Benthos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benthos. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

benthos

noun
ben·​thos ˈben-ˌthäs How to pronounce benthos (audio)
: the plant and animal life that lives on or in the bottom of a body of water (as an ocean)

More from Merriam-Webster on benthos

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!