co·pe·pod (k??p?-p?d?)n. Any of numerous small marine or freshwater crustaceans of the subclass Copepoda, including parasitic and free-living forms.[From New Latin C?p?poda, order name : Greek k?p?, oar; see kap- in Indo-European roots + New Latin -poda, -pod.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.copepod (?k??p??p?d) n (Animals) any minute free-living or parasitic crustacean of the subclass Copepoda of marine and fresh waters: an important constituent of planktonadj (Animals) of, relating to, or belonging to the Copepoda[C19: from New Latin Copepoda, from Greek k?p? oar + pous foot]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014co?pe?pod (?ko? p??p?d) n. any tiny marine or freshwater crustacean of the class Copepoda: some are abundant in plankton and others are parasitic. [1830?40;