Standard Lemma guide

benthic

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈbɛnθɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Pertaining to the benthos; living on the seafloor, as opposed to floating in the ocean.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: bathyal, abyssal, hadal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: benthonic, demersal, bathyal, abyssal, hadal

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: marine, aquatic, underwater

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any organism that lives on the seafloor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

of or relating to or happening on the bottom under a body of water

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: benthal, benthonic

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From benthos + -ic. By surface analysis, benth- + -ic.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: bentický — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Dutch: benthonisch — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Finnish: benttinen — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • French: benthique — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Galician: bentónico — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • German: benthonisch — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • German: benthisch — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Irish: beantach — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Italian: bentonico — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Latin: benthicus — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Polish: bentoniczny — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Polish: bentosowy — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Portuguese: bêntico — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Portuguese: bentônico — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Russian: придо́нный (pridónnyj) — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Russian: до́нный (dónnyj) — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Russian: бе́нтосный (béntosnyj) — of the benthos on the seafloor
  • Spanish: bentónico — of the benthos on the seafloor
Real reading context

benthic in complete knowledge articles