filaria

fi·lar·i·a  (f-lâr-)

n. pl. fi·lar·i·ae (--)

Any of various slender, threadlike nematode worms of the superfamily Filarioidea that are parasitic in vertebrates and are often transmitted as larvae by mosquitos and other biting insects. The adult form lives in the blood and lymphatic tissues, causing inflammation and obstruction that can lead to elephantiasis.

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[New Latin Flria, former genus name, from Latin flum, thread; see g^wh- in Indo-European roots.]

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fi·lari·al (--l), fi·lari·an (--n) adj.

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filaria  (f-lâr-)

Plural filariae (f-lâr-)

Any of various slender, threadlike nematode worms of the superfamily Filarioidea that are parasitic in vertebrates and are often transmitted as larvae by mosquitoes and other biting insects. The adult form lives in the blood and lymphatic tissues and can cause inflammation and obstruction of lymphatic vessels.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	filaria - European weed naturalized in southwestern United States and Mexico having reddish decumbent stems with small fernlike leaves and small deep reddish-lavender flowers followed by slender fruits that stick straight up; often grown for forage alfilaria, alfileria, clocks, Erodium cicutarium, filaree, pin clover, pin grass, redstem storksbill heron's bill, storksbill - any of various plants of the genus Erodium
	2.	filaria - slender threadlike roundworms living in the blood and tissues of vertebrates; transmitted as larvae by biting insects nematode, nematode worm, roundworm - unsegmented worms with elongated rounded body pointed at both ends; mostly free-living but some are parasitic family Filariidae, Filariidae - threadlike roundworms