infusoria

(ˌɪnfjʊˈzɔːrɪə)

(Zoology) zoology the zoological genus of which the members are the infusorians

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

In•fu•so•ri•a

(ˌɪn fyʊˈsɔr i ə, -ˈsoʊr-)

n.pl.

1. protozoans of the phylum Ciliophora (or class Ciliata).

2. (formerly) various microscopic organisms found in infusions of decaying organic matter.

[1780–90; < New Latin, neuter pl. of infūsōrius. See infuse, -ory¹]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

Infusoria - in some recent classifications, coextensive with the Ciliata: minute organisms found in decomposing infusions of organic matter

subclass Infusoria

Ciliata, Ciliophora, class Ciliata, class Ciliophora - class of protozoa having cilia or hairlike appendages on part or all of the surface during some part of the life cycle

infusorian - any member of the subclass Infusoria

class - (biology) a taxonomic group containing one or more orders

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Porto Praya -- Ribeira Grande -- Atmospheric Dust with Infusoria -- Habits of a Sea-slug and Cuttle-fish -- St.

Professor Ehrenberg [3] finds that this dust consists in great part of infusoria with siliceous shields, and of the siliceous tissue of plants.

In the case of the prawn-like crabs, their movements were as coinstantaneous as in a regiment of soldiers; but this cannot happen from anything like voluntary action with the ovules, or the confervae, nor is it probable among the infusoria. Secondly, what causes the length and narrowness of the bands?

View in context

In reality, it was an infinite agglomeration of coloured infusoria, of veritable globules of jelly, provided with a threadlike tentacle, and of which as many as twenty-five thousand have been counted in less than two cubic half-inches of water.

View in context

It is possible that the infusoria under the microscope do the same.

View in context

Most of this occurs as diatoms and infusoria, forams, and copepods; indeed, almost every floe in its lower layers is stained yellow from the presence of millions of small diatoms allied to Corethron.

One Hundred Years Ago: A SCIENTIST IN THE ANTARCTIC

Experimental evaluation of interaction between Yersinia pestis and soil infusoria and possibility of prolonged preservation of bacteria in the protozoan oocysts [in Russian].

Yersinia pestis Survival and Replication in Potential Ameba Reservoir