different between benthic vs abyssal

English

Etymology

From benthos +? -ic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b?n??k/

Adjective

benthic (not comparable)

1. Pertaining to the benthos; living on the seafloor, as opposed to floating in the ocean.
   • 1878, Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 3:

     The benthic environment, except for intertidal areas, has been scarcely explored...

   • 1974, R. H. Parker, The Study of Benthic Communities, American Elsevier Publishing Company, New York, p. 191:

     As the classical approach to benthic community studies originated primarily with Danish biologists, a section is devoted to comparisons of Danish bottom communities with those obtained in Hadley Harbor.

   • 1994, Hans M. Bolli, Jean-Pierre Beckmann, and John B. Saunders, Benthic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy of the South Caribbean Region, Cambridge University Press, p. 1:

     Benthic foraminifera have been used for stratigraphic purposes almost since they began to be studied systematically.

Antonyms

• planktonic

Derived terms

• cryptobenthic
• holobenthic
• subbenthic

Translations

Noun

benthic (plural benthics)

1. Any organism that lives on the seafloor

See also

• oceanic
• pelagic
• planktonic

Anagrams

• bitchen

English

Etymology

First attested in the 1690s. From Medieval Latin abyssalis, from Latin abyssus (“abyss”) + -alis (“-al”). Equivalent to abyss +? -al.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??b?s.l?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??b?s.l?/
• Rhymes: -?s?l

Adjective

abyssal (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]
2. (geography) Of or belonging to the ocean depths, especially below 2000 metres (6500 ft): abyssal zone. [First attested in the mid 19^th century.]
3. (geology) Pertaining to or occurring at excessive depths in the earth's crust; plutonic. [First attested in the late 19^th century.]

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• byssal

References

• abyssal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

French

Etymology

From Late Latin abyssalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.bi.sal/

Adjective

abyssal (feminine singular abyssale, masculine plural abyssaux, feminine plural abyssales)

1. abyssal

Derived terms

• gigantisme abyssal
• plaine abyssale

Further reading

• “abyssal” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).