Protozoon

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.

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

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

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

protozoon - any of diverse minute acellular or unicellular organisms usually nonphotosynthetic protozoan protoctist - any of the unicellular protists phylum Protozoa, Protozoa - in some classifications considered a superphylum or a subkingdom; comprises flagellates; ciliates; sporozoans; amoebas; foraminifers sarcodine, sarcodinian - protozoa that move and capture food by forming pseudopods rhizopod, rhizopodan - protozoa characterized by a pseudopod arcella - an amoeba-like protozoan with a chitinous shell resembling an umbrella difflugia - a protozoan with an ovoid shell of cemented sand grains ciliate, ciliated protozoan, ciliophoran - a protozoan with a microscopic appendage extending from the surface of the cell euglena - minute single-celled green freshwater organism having a single flagella; often classed as algae flagellate, flagellate protozoan, flagellated protozoan, mastigophoran, mastigophore - a usually nonphotosynthetic free-living protozoan with whiplike appendages; some are pathogens of humans and other animals plantlike flagellate - unicellular organisms having many characteristics of typical algae sporozoan - parasitic spore-forming protozoan cytostome - mouth of a protozoan