a. [ L. tubulus, dim. of tubus a tube, or pipe. See Tube. ] Having the form of a tube, or pipe; consisting of a pipe; fistular;
Tubular boiler.
Tubular breathing (Med.),
Tubular bridge,
Tubular girder,
‖n. [ NL. ] (Zool.) A genus of hydroids having large, naked, flowerlike hydranths at the summits of long, slender, usually simple, stems. The gonophores are small, and form clusters at the bases of the outer tentacles. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. pl. [ NL. ] See Tubularida. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Zool.) Any hydroid belonging to the suborder Tubularida. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ These hydroids usually form tufts of delicate tubes, and both gonophores and hydranths are naked. The gonophores of many of the species become free jellyfishes; those of other species remain permanently attached as medusoid buds or sporosacs. See Illust. under Gonosome, and Cymnoblastea. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the tubularians. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) An extensive division of Hydroidea; the tubularians; -- called also