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prettygoodwordostracod (OS-truh-kod) - n., any of various tiny aquatic crustaceans (class Ostracoda) with a shrimp-like body enclosed in a transparent bivalve shell.
Also called seed shrimp and mussel shrimp. Coined in 1865 from Greek ostrakṓdēs, shelled-one, from óstrakon shell/tile/pot-shard + plus a noun suffix indicating likeness. Yes, ostracize comes from the same root, from the ancient Greek practice of voting someone out of the city-state by writing names on broken pot-shards.
---L.
Also called seed shrimp and mussel shrimp. Coined in 1865 from Greek ostrakṓdēs, shelled-one, from óstrakon shell/tile/pot-shard + plus a noun suffix indicating likeness. Yes, ostracize comes from the same root, from the ancient Greek practice of voting someone out of the city-state by writing names on broken pot-shards.
---L.
