Dictionary
Portuguese man–of–war
noun
: a large sea animal that has a very soft body, many long, soft parts (called tentacles) that hang down from its body, and a poisonous sting
plural Portuguese man–of–wars also Portuguese men–of–war
Full Definition of PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR
: any of a genus (Physalia of the family Physaliidae) of large tropical and subtropical pelagic siphonophores having a crested bladderlike float which bears the colony comprised of three types of zooids on the lower surface with one of the three having nematocyst-equipped tentacles
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First Known Use of PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR
1707
Medical Dictionary
Portuguese man–of–war
noun Por·tu·guese man–of–war \ˌpȯr-chə-ˌgēz-ˌman-əv-ˈwȯr\
plural Portuguese man–of–wars \-ˈwȯrz\ also Portuguese men–of–war \-ˌmen-əv-ˈwȯr\
Medical Definition of PORTUGUESE MAN–OF–WAR
: any siphonophore of the genus Physalia including large tropical and subtropical oceanic forms having a crested bladderlike float which bears a colony comprised of three types of zooids on the lower surface with one of the three having stinging tentacles
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