sea nettle

A sea nettle drifts through the clear ocean water.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of jellyfish: "sea nettle" refers to any of several species of jellyfish in the genus Chrysaora, characterized by their stinging tentacles and often found in coastal waters. They are named for their nettle-like sting.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Swimmers were warned about the presence of sea nettles in the bay. (A type of stinging jellyfish in the water.)
  • The sea nettle's long tentacles can cause painful welts on the skin. (The jellyfish's stinging parts.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be stung by a sea nettle": to experience the painful effect of contact with a sea nettle.

  • After being stung by a sea nettle, she applied vinegar to the affected area. (She suffered a jellyfish sting.)

• "sea nettle bloom": a sudden increase in the population of sea nettles in a specific area.

  • Scientists are studying the causes of the sea nettle bloom along the coast. (A surge in jellyfish numbers.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sea nettle (n): the standard term for these jellyfish; no common variant forms exist, but related terms include "jellyfish" (a broader category).
• Nettle (n): a plant with stinging hairs, unrelated to the sea nettle except for the similarity in sting sensation.

Synonyms

• Jellyfish: a general term for free-swimming marine animals with gelatinous bodies; all sea nettles are jellyfish, but not all jellyfish are sea nettles.
• Stinging jellyfish: a descriptive term emphasizing their harmful tentacles.

Phrasal Verbs

• None directly associated with "sea nettle," as it is a noun.

Related Idioms

• None directly associated with "sea nettle," as it is a specific biological term.