Noctiluca

2 definitions found

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

  Noctiluca \Noc`ti*lu"ca\, n.; pl. {Noctilucae}. [L. noctiluca
     something that shines by night, fr. nox, noctis, night +
     lucere to shine, lux light.]
     1. (Old Chem.) That which shines at night; -- a fanciful name
        for phosphorus.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Zool.) A genus of marine flagellate Infusoria, remarkable
        for their unusually large size and complex structure, as
        well as for their phosphorescence. The brilliant diffuse
        phosphorescence of the sea is often due to myriads of
        Noctilucae.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  noctiluca
       n : large bioluminescent marine protozoan [syn: {Noctiluca
           miliaris}]
       [also: {noctilucae} (pl)]