How Do You Spell ACHEILOUS?

Pronunciation: [ˈe͡ɪkɪləs] (IPA)

"Acheilous" is a rare and unusual word used in biology to describe a fish without a proper lower jaw. Its spelling follows the IPA phonetic transcription system, which can be written as /əˈkiːləs/. The first syllable "a" is pronounced as a schwa sound, followed by the stressed second syllable "chei" with a long "e" sound, and ending with the "lous" syllable that rhymes with "us." Overall, the spelling of "acheilous" reflects the unique nature of this fish's physical characteristic.

ACHEILOUS Meaning and Definition

1. Acheilous is an adjective that refers to an organism, particularly fish, which lack a normal, functional, or well-developed lower jaw. Derived from Greek origins, "a" implies the absence of something, while "cheilos" means "lip" or "lower lip" in Greek. Therefore, the term "acheilous" literally signifies the absence of a lower lip or jaw.

   When applied to fish species, acheilous denotes the condition where the lower lip or jaw is poorly developed, incomplete, or entirely missing. This physical abnormality can impact the feeding and hunting abilities of the affected fish, as well as their overall survival. The reduced or absent lower jaw might restrict the fish's capability to consume certain foods or impair their processing efficiency.

   In scientific research and ichthyology, the term acheilous is commonly used to classify and identify certain fish species with jaw abnormalities. It helps researchers and taxonomists in categorizing and differentiating them from other closely related species. Understanding the characteristics and features of acheilous fishes also aids in studying evolutionary processes and ecological interactions in aquatic ecosystems.

   While acheilous is primarily associated with fish, it can also be used metaphorically to describe anything or anyone with a significant deficiency or lacking a crucial element or component. In this sense, it portrays the notion of incompleteness or inadequacy, extending beyond the biological realm.

2. Achilous.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for ACHEILOUS

• achillous
• achilous
• Achylous
• zcheilous
• scheilous
• wcheilous
• qcheilous
• axheilous
• avheilous
• afheilous
• adheilous
• acgeilous
• acbeilous
• acneilous
• acjeilous
• acueilous
• acyeilous
• achwilous
• achsilous
• achdilous

Etymology of ACHEILOUS

The word "acheilous" originates from Greek. Its etymology can be divided into two parts: "a-" as a prefix meaning "without" and "cheilos" meaning "lip" in Greek. Therefore, "acheilous" literally translates to "without lips" in English.