Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Ianthina
‖
I-an′thi-na
,Noun.
pl. L.
Ianthinæ
(#)
, E. Ianthinas
(#)
. [NL., fr. L.
ianthinus
violet-blue, Gr. [GREEK]; [GREEK] violet + [GREEK] flower.] (Zool.)
Any gastropod of the genus
Ianthina
, of which various species are found living in mid ocean; – called also purple shell
, and violet snail
. [Written also
janthina
.] ☞ It floats at the surface by means of a raft, which it constructs by forming and uniting together air bubbles of hardened mucus. The Tyrian purple of the ancients was obtained in part from mollusks of this genus.
Definition 2024
ianthina
ianthina
English
Noun
ianthina (plural ianthinas)
- Any of the family Janthinidae of violet snails.
- 1949, Ray Smith Bassler, Shelled creatures and geological history
- But a clammy feeling soon dampened his enthusiasm, and he looked down to find his fine white suit streaked with violet where the ianthinas had discharged their ink.
- 1949, Ray Smith Bassler, Shelled creatures and geological history