diatom

di·a·tom  (d-tm)

n.

Any of various microscopic one-celled or colonial algae of the class Bacillariophyceae, having cell walls of silica consisting of two interlocking symmetrical valves.

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[New Latin diatoma, from Greek diatomos, cut in half, from diatemnein, to cut in half : dia-, dia- + temnein, to cut; see tem- in Indo-European roots.]

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diatom [ˈdaɪətəm -ˌtɒm]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Microbiology) any microscopic unicellular alga of the phylum Bacillariophyta, occurring in marine or fresh water singly or in colonies, each cell having a cell wall made of two halves and impregnated with silica See also diatomite

[from New Latin Diatoma (genus name), from Greek diatomos cut in two, from diatemnein to cut through, from dia- + temnein to cut]

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diatom  (d-tm)

Any of various microscopic protists of the phylum Bacillariophyta that live in both fresh and marine water, have hard bivalve shells (called frustules) composed mostly of silica, and often live in colonies. Most diatoms can perform photosynthesis. They make up a large portion of the marine plankton and are an important food source for many aquatic animals. The skeletal remains of diatoms are the main constituent of diatomite.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

diatom - microscopic unicellular marine or freshwater colonial alga having cell walls impregnated with silica phytoplankton - photosynthetic or plant constituent of plankton; mainly unicellular algae alga, algae - primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves Bacillariophyceae, class Bacillariophyceae, class Diatomophyceae, Diatomophyceae - marine and freshwater eukaryotic algae: diatoms