sb. pl. Zool. [mod.L. f. Fr. annel-és, (Lamarck’s name for his first subd. of Invertebrata, 1801), ‘ringed,’ pa. pple. of anneler f. OFr. annel ring:—L. annell-us for ānellus, dim. of ānulus a ring + -IDA.] A class of animals (arranged by Cuvier under Articulata) comprising the Red-blooded Worms (including earth-worms, leeches and sea-centipedes), with soft elongated bodies composed of numerous annular segments.
1834. Penny Cycl., II. 45/1. The annelida are for the most part oviparous.
1847. Carpenter, Zool., § 834. The Annelida … [are] usually furnished with a series of locomotive appendages in the form of bristles.
