lowest of mollusks, 1837, from bryo- "moss" + -zoa "animal," from Greek zoia, plural of zoion "animal" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live"). So called from the appearance of some species.
Entries linking to bryozoa
bryo-
word-forming element meaning "moss" in scientific compounds, from Greek bryos, bryon "moss."
*gwei-
also *gweie-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to live."
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit jivah "alive, living;" Old Persian *jivaka- "alive," Middle Persian zhiwak "alive;" Greek bios "one's life, course or way of living, lifetime," zoe "animal life, organic life;" Old English cwic, cwicu "living, alive;" Latin vivus "living, alive," vita "life;" Old Church Slavonic zivo "to live;" Lithuanian gyvas "living, alive," gyvata "(eternal) life;" Old Irish bethu "life," bith "age;" Welsh byd "world."