sea urchin

noun

: any of numerous echinoderms (class Echinoidea) that are usually enclosed in thin brittle globular tests covered with movable spines

Examples of sea urchin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Within a few hours the couple, both in their mid-40s, has filled the boat with shellfish, sea urchins, mussels and crabs that Leviñanco will sell at the market in Melinka, the main island in the Guaitecas Archipelago. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026 This article is part of a series of stories about hunting, fishing, and foraging experiences across North America, from harvesting sea urchins along California's Sonoma Coast to salmon fishing in Southeast Alaska. — Rachel Levin, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026 Unlike lionfish or Asian carp, red and green sea urchins are native to the region. — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026 Bankston Architectural’s hardware (created in collaboration with prominent designers and architects) puts a graphic spin on everyday knobs and pulls, experimenting with striated wood handles and striking shapes like these sea urchin-like stars. — Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sea urchin

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sea urchin was in 1591

Browse Nearby Words

sea unicorn
sea urchin
sea urchin cactus
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Cite this Entry

“Sea urchin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sea%20urchin. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sea urchin

noun
: any of a class of small marine invertebrate animals that are echinoderms, usually live on or burrow in the sea bottom, and are enclosed in roundish shells covered with spines that can move

More from Merriam-Webster on sea urchin

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sea urchin

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