any marine invertebrate of the phylum Ctenophora, comprising various nearly transparent creatures having rounded, oval, or band-shaped bodies propelled by eight iridescent appendages composed of cilia arranged like teeth on a comb.
cten·o·phore (těn'ə-fôr', -fōr') n. Any of various marine animals of the phylum Ctenophora, having transparent, gelatinous bodies bearing eight rows of comblike cilia used for swimming. Also called comb jelly.
[From New Latin Ctenophora, phylum name : Greek kteis, kten-, comb + New Latin -phora, from neuter pl. of Greek -phoros, -phore.] cte·noph'o·ran (tĭ-nŏf'ər-ən) adj.