Selachian

//sɪˈleɪkɪən// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Pertaining to (what is now classified as) the superorder Selachimorpha or division Selachii, comprising the sharks; or, sometimes more broadly, to the subclass Elasmobranchii, including sharks, rays and related species.

    "Fig. 4-10 shows crude apparatus which was used to make rough measurements of the vertical forces produced by selachian tails."

  2. 2
    Sharklike.

    "These two tours had whetted the colonies' appetite for Royal visits, and by the turn of the century that appetite was positively selachian."

Noun
  1. 1
    Any organism of the superorder Selachimorpha or subclass Elasmobranchii; an extant shark (or related species).

    "However, some selachians enter freshwater and a few, like the stingray Paratrygon motoro, are even restricted to freshwater."

  2. 2
    any of numerous fishes of the class Chondrichthyes characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton and placoid scales: sharks, rays, skates wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From the (disused) genus name Selache, from Latin selachē, from the plural of Ancient Greek σέλαχος (sélakhos, “shark”).

Etymology 2

From the (disused) genus name Selache, from Latin selachē, from the plural of Ancient Greek σέλαχος (sélakhos, “shark”).

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