barnacle
Ship's unwanted passenger
A barnacle is a small marine crustacean that attaches itself permanently to rocks, ship hulls, whales, and other submerged surfaces.
Barnacles cluster in colonies and are notoriously difficult to remove.
Figuratively, a barnacle is a person or thing that clings persistently and is hard to shake off: He's been a barnacle on that committee for decades.
Calcium powder binding agent
- glueBonding substance
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- gripSecure manual hold
- bondingForming close connections
secretion · tenacious · fastening · permanent · fixed · stuck · anchor · holdfast
Opportunistic social dependent
- freeloaderOne exploiting others' generosity
- parasiteOne exploiting a host
- leechBlood-feeding aquatic worm
- clingerOne who grips tightly
persistent · unwanted · nuisance · tenacious · stubborn · inseparable · unwelcome guest · moocher
S-shaped bend or tube
- sessileAttached at base
- filter-feederOrganism extracting food from water
- carapaceProtective dorsal exoskeleton
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
molting · chitin · peduncle · planktonic · invertebrate · larva · calcified · hermaphrodite
Making something unclean
- biofoulingOrganism accumulation on surfaces
- overgrowthUncontrolled plant expansion
- accretionGrowth through external addition
- encrustedCovered with hard layer
coating · calcification · buildup · infestation · colonization · scale · accumulation · growth
cement
Calcium powder binding agent
- glueBonding substance
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- gripSecure manual hold
bonding · secretion · tenacious · fastening · permanent · fixed · stuck · anchor · holdfast · adherent
hanger-on
Opportunistic social dependent
- freeloaderOne exploiting others' generosity
- parasiteOne exploiting a host
- leechBlood-feeding aquatic worm
clinger · persistent · unwanted · nuisance · tenacious · stubborn · inseparable · unwelcome guest · moocher · sponger
gooseneck
S-shaped bend or tube
- sessileAttached at base
- filter-feederOrganism extracting food from water
- carapaceProtective dorsal exoskeleton
exoskeleton · molting · chitin · peduncle · planktonic · invertebrate · larva · calcified · hermaphrodite · intertidal
fouling
Making something unclean
- biofoulingOrganism accumulation on surfaces
- overgrowthUncontrolled plant expansion
- accretionGrowth through external addition
encrusted · coating · calcification · buildup · infestation · colonization · scale · accumulation · growth · cluster
tidepool
Coastal rock hollow holding seawater
- intertidalZone between high and low watermarks
- rocky shoreCoastline of boulders
- jettyStructure extending into water
reef · seashore · coastal · ocean · saltwater · substrate · whale · turtle · driftwood · seaweed
hull
Outer covering or frame
piling · wharf · mooring · vessel · boat · waterline · scraping · dry dock · seaworthy · anchor chain
- sea lifeshark, whale, dolphin, salmon, jellyfish
- crustaceanscrabs, crab, prawn, lobster, lobsters
- protective structuresexoskeleton, carapace, shell, cuticle, elytra
- seafloor lifesea cucumber, sea cucumbers, sea urchin, sea urchins, sand dollar
- barnacles
- biofoulersmussel, biofilm, bryozoan, tube worm, shipworm
barnaclejellyfish
Drifting marine stinger
dolphin · whale · squid · plankton · sea turtle
barnacledrifter
Aimless, rootless traveler
rolling stone · lone wolf · nomad · free spirit · wanderer
barnaclesmooth surface
Plane without irregularities
bare · pristine · polished · scoured · antifouling