copepod

UK: /ˈkəʊpɪˌpɒd/ US: (kō′pə pod′)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

co•pe•pod  (kō′pə pod′), n. 

1. Invertebrates any of numerous tiny marine or freshwater crustaceans of the order (or subclass) Copepoda, lacking compound eyes or a carapace and usually having six pairs of limbs on the thorax, some abundant in plankton and others parasitic on fish.

• Greek kó̄pē a handle, oar + -poda -poda
• Neo-Latin Copepoda name of the order
• 1830–40

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

copepod / ˈkəʊpɪˌpɒd/ noun

1. any minute free-living or parasitic crustacean of the subclass Copepoda of marine and fresh waters: an important constituent of plankton

Etymology: 19th Century: from New Latin Copepoda, from Greek kōpē oar + pous foot