A specialized stinging cell found in jellyfish, sea anemones, and corals that fires a venomous harpoon-like structure to catch prey or defend against threats.
Directly from Greek knide meaning nettle or sting. The term was adopted in the late 1800s by zoologists to describe the actual cell mechanism of stinging creatures.
A cnida is like a microscopic spear launcher—when triggered, it fires faster than any animal muscle can contract, using pure pressure!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.