water vascular system

6.8

A system of tubes filled with water that animals like starfish use to move, eat, and breathe

noun
/ˈwɔːtər ˈvæskjələr ˈsɪstəm/

Specialized

: sistema vascular acuático

The water vascular system helps starfish move.

Examples

The water vascular system helps sea urchins capture food and exchange gases.
Echinoderms rely on their water vascular system for feeding.
Damage to the water vascular system can impair an echinoderm's ability to survive.
Starfish rely on their water vascular system to move their tube feet across the ocean floor.
The water vascular system helps the starfish move effortlessly across the ocean floor.
In echinoderms, the water vascular system plays a crucial role in feeding and locomotion.
Each sea cucumber relies on its water vascular system for respiration and to handle food efficiently.

Surface Forms

water vascular system singular

water vascular systems plural

Morphology

water + vascular + system

The meaning is directly compositional: 'water' (liquid) + 'vascular' (relating to vessels) + 'system' (a set of cooperating organs) yields a system of vessels containing or conducting water. Although it's a technical zoological term, the parts map clearly onto the definition, and similar scientific formations exist across languages, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun water vascular system paints a simple picture: water flows through vascular 'tubes' that form a system inside animals like starfish and sea urchins. Because those water-filled tubes help the animal 'move', 'eat', and 'breathe', the name explains what the system does today.