‖ Annelida, n. pl. Zool.
(əˈnɛlɪdə)
[mod.L. f. Fr. annel-és, (Lamarck's name for his first subd. of Invertebrata, 1801), ‘ringed,’ pa. pple. of anneler f. OFr. annel ring:—L. annell-us for ānellus, dim. of ānulus a ring + -ida.]
A class of animals (arranged by Cuvier under Articulata) comprising the Red-blooded Worms (including earth-worms, leeches, and sea-centipedes), with soft elongated bodies composed of numerous annular segments.
| 1834 Penny Cycl. II. 45/1 The annelida are for the most part oviparous. 1847 Carpenter Zool. §834 The Annelida..[are] usually furnished with a series of locomotive appendages in the form of bristles. |