Chela

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Chela \Che"la\, n.; pl. {Chel[ae]}. [NL., fr. Gr. chhlh` claw.]
     (Zool.)
     The pincherlike claw of Crustacea and Arachnida.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:



  Chela \Che"la\, n. [Hind. ch[=e]la, orig., slave, fr. Skr.
     c[=e][.t]a, c[=e][.t]aka, slave, servant.]
     In India, a dependent person occupying a position between
     that of a servant or slave and a disciple; hence, a disciple
     or novice. -- {Che"la*ship}, n.
     [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  chela
       n 1: a Hindu disciple of a swami
       2: a structure like a pincer on the limb of a crustacean or
          other arthropods [syn: {claw}, {nipper}, {pincer}]
       [also: {chelae} (pl)]