Definition

A small paired limb found on the abdomen of some aquatic crustaceans, like shrimp and lobsters, that helps with swimming and carrying eggs in females.

Example

The female lobster uses her swimmerets to carry her eggs safely until they hatch.

Conversation

Did you know that some lobsters have special appendages called swimmerets?

Really? What do they do?

They help with swimming and also carry the eggs in females.

That’s fascinating! Nature has some cool adaptations.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Swimmeret is derived from "swim" (from Old English "swimman", meaning to move through water) and the diminutive suffix "-et" (meaning small or little). The word "swimmeret" refers to a small appendage used for swimming, typically found on crustaceans.

Memory Tip

Think of a small 'swimming' ('swim') appendage, as the '-et' indicates something small. This helps you remember that a swimmeret is a small part used for swimming.

Visually Confused Words