protist

pro·tist  (prtst)

n.

1. Any of a group of eukaryotic organisms belonging to the kingdom Protista according to some widely used modern taxonomic systems. The protists include a variety of unicellular, coenocytic, colonial, and multicellular organisms, such as the protozoans, slime molds, brown algae, and red algae.

2. A unicellular protoctist in taxonomic systems in which the protoctists are considered to form a kingdom.

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[From New Latin Prtista, former kingdom name, from Greek prtista, neuter pl. of prtistos, the very first, superlative of prtos, first; see per¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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pro·tistan (-tstn) adj. & n.

protis·tolo·gy (prt-stl-j) n.

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protist [ˈprəʊtɪst]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) (in some classification systems) any organism belonging to the kingdom Protista, originally including bacteria, protozoans, algae, and fungi, regarded as distinct from plants and animals. It was later restricted to protozoans, unicellular algae, and simple fungi See also protoctist

[from New Latin Protista most primitive organisms, from Greek prōtistos the very first, from prōtos first]

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protist  (prtst)

Any of a large variety of usually one-celled organisms belonging to the kingdom Protista (or Protoctista). Protists are eukaryotes and live in water or in watery tissues of organisms. Some protists resemble plants in that they produce their own food by photosynthesis, while others resemble animals in consuming organic matter for food. Protist cells are often structurally much more elaborate than the cells of multicellular plants and animals. Protists include the protozoans, most algae, diatoms, oomycetes, and the slime molds. Also called protoctist. See Table at taxonomy.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

protist - free-living or colonial organisms with diverse nutritional and reproductive modes protistan micro-organism, microorganism - any organism of microscopic size division Protista, Protista - eukaryotic one-celled living organisms distinct from multicellular plants and animals: protozoa, slime molds, and eukaryotic algae