English edit

 
Two water bears

Etymology edit

Calque of German Wasserbär, used to describe these animals by Johann August Ephraim Goeze in 1773. Equivalent to water +‎ bear.

Noun edit

water bear (plural water bears)

  1. (zoology) A member of the animal phylum Tardigrada.
    Synonyms: moss piglet, pudgy wudgy, space bear, tardigrade

Translations edit

References edit