Definition

1. Noun:
   • A soft-bodied invertebrate: A "velvet worm" is a small, terrestrial animal with a velvety appearance, belonging to the phylum Onychophora.
   • A living fossil: It is considered an evolutionary link, possessing characteristics of both arthropods (like insects) and annelid worms (like earthworms).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The biologist discovered a rare velvet worm under the decaying log.
  • Velvet worms capture their prey by shooting a sticky slime.

Advanced Usage

• In evolutionary biology: The term "velvet worm" is used to discuss transitional forms in the fossil record.
  • The study of the velvet worm provides insights into the evolution of arthropods.

Variants and Related Words

• Onychophoran (n): The scientific name for a velvet worm.
  • Onychophorans are found in humid habitats worldwide.

Synonyms

• Peripatus: An older common name for the velvet worm.
• Walking worm: A descriptive synonym referencing its method of locomotion.

Different Meanings

This term has a specific zoological meaning and is not commonly used with different figurative meanings.

Idioms

No common idioms feature the term "velvet worm."

Phrasal Verbs

No phrasal verbs are associated with the term "velvet worm."

Noun

1. any of numerous velvety-skinned wormlike carnivorous animals common in tropical forests having characteristics of both arthropods and annelid worms