nematocyst Syllabification: (nem·a·to·cyst)Pronunciation: /ˈnemətəˌsist, niˈmatə-/Definition of nematocyst noun Zoology a specialized cell in the tentacles of a jellyfish or other coelenterate, containing a barbed or venomous coiled thread that can be projected in self-defense or to capture prey. Origin: late 19th century: from nemato- 'of threadlike shape' + cystnematocyst in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of nematocyst in the British & World English dictionary
