Protozoa (redirected from protozoans)

pro·to·zo·an  (prt-zn) also pro·to·zo·on (-n)

n. pl. pro·to·zo·ans or pro·to·zo·a (-z) also pro·to·zo·ons

Any of a large group of single-celled, usually microscopic, eukaryotic organisms, such as amoebas, ciliates, flagellates, and sporozoans.

---

[From New Latin Protoza, former subkingdom name : proto- + New Latin -za, pl. of -zon, -zoon.]

---

proto·zoan, proto·zoal, proto·zoic adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Protozoa - in some classifications considered a superphylum or a subkingdom; comprises flagellates; ciliates; sporozoans; amoebas; foraminifers phylum Protozoa kingdom Protoctista, Protoctista - in most modern classifications, replacement for the Protista; includes: Protozoa; Euglenophyta; Chlorophyta; Cryptophyta; Heterokontophyta; Rhodophyta; unicellular protists and their descendant multicellular organisms: regarded as distinct from plants and animals protozoan, protozoon - any of diverse minute acellular or unicellular organisms usually nonphotosynthetic class Sarcodina, Sarcodina - characterized by the formation of pseudopods for locomotion and taking food: Actinopoda; Rhizopoda 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 class Flagellata, class Mastigophora, Flagellata, Mastigophora - protozoa having flagella class Sporozoa, Sporozoa - strictly parasitic protozoans that are usually immobile; includes plasmodia and coccidia and piroplasms and malaria parasites phylum - (biology) the major taxonomic group of animals and plants; contains classes