1. plural of phoronid; small, tube-dwelling marine animals with a lophophore (a crown of tentacles used for feeding), belonging to the phylum Phoronida.
Usage: zoology; marine biology; technical

Examples

• Phoronids are found in shallow marine environments worldwide.
• The phoronids use their lophophore to filter food from the water.
• Scientists study phoronids to understand early animal evolution.
• Most phoronids live in secreted tubes anchored to the seafloor.
• Phoronids are considered a minor phylum with only about 10 known species.