acanthocephalan
noun
acan·tho·ceph·a·lan ə-ˌkan(t)-thə-ˈse-fə-lən 
: spiny-headed worm
acanthocephalan adjective
Word History
Etymology
New Latin Acanthocephala, taxon that includes the spiny-headed worms (from Greek ákantha "thorn, prickle, spine" + New Latin -o- -o- + -cephala, neuter plural of -cephalus "having a head of a given sort," borrowed from Greek -kephalos, derivative of kephalḗ "head") + -an entry 1 — more at acanthus, cephalic
First Known Use
circa 1889, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
acanthocephalan
noun
acan·tho·ceph·a·lan -lən
: any of the phylum Acanthocephala of unsegmented parasitic worms
called also spiny-headed worm