microplankton

[ mahy-kroh-plangk-tuhn ]

noun

1. plankton visible as individual organisms only with the aid of a microscope, which excludes most animal plankton.

Word History and Origins

Origin of microplankton¹

First recorded in 1900–05; micro- + plankton

Example Sentences

Ocean microplankton called Acantharea use the element strontium to create intricate mineral skeletons.

From Scientific American

I. Microplankton community abundances and biomass.

From Nature

He cited one horrible example of a lead: "University of Washington scientists reported today experiments have shown that microplankton organisms act as radioactivity 'carriers' in Bikini waters, keeping the waters radioactive."

From Time Magazine Archive

How many readers, asked Dr. Flesch, know what "microplankton organisms" are?

From Time Magazine Archive