hemocoel

noun

he·​mo·​coel ˈhē-mə-ˌsēl How to pronounce hemocoel (audio)
: a body cavity (as in arthropods or some mollusks) that contains blood or hemolymph and functions as part of the circulatory system

Examples of hemocoel 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.
But the digestive system—which is unusually extensive in sea spiders, running down each leg—was contracting in waves, moving food in the gut as well as blood in the surrounding hemocoel cavity, the spider equivalent of veins and arteries. Katie Langin, Science | AAAS, 10 July 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hemocoel was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near hemocoel

Cite this Entry

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

Medical Definition

hemocoel

noun
he·​mo·​coel
variants also hemocoele or chiefly British haemocoele
: a body cavity (as in arthropods or some mollusks) that normally contains blood and functions as part of the circulatory system
hemocoelic adjective
or chiefly British haemocoelic

More from Merriam-Webster on hemocoel

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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