polyp Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a small vascular growth on the surface of a mucous membrane
    polypus.
  2. noun one of two forms that coelenterates take (e.g. a hydra or coral): usually sedentary with a hollow cylindrical body usually with a ring of tentacles around the mouth
    • in some species of coelenterate, polyps are a phase in the life cycle that alternates with a medusoid phase

WordNet

Pol"yp noun
Etymology
L. polypus, Gr. , , literally, many-footed; many + , , foot: cf. F. polype. See Poly- and Foot, and cf. Polypode, Polypody, Poulp.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the feeding or nutritive zooids of a hydroid or coral. (b) One of the Anthozoa. (c) pl. Same as Anthozoa. See Anthozoa, Madreporaria, Hydroid. Written also polype.

Webster 1913