pleuston

[ ploo-stuhn, -ston ]

noun

, Biology.

1. a buoyant mat of weeds, algae, and associated organisms that floats on or near the surface of a lake, river, or other body of fresh water.

pleuston

/ -stɒn; ˈpluːstən /

noun

1. a mass of small organisms, esp algae, floating at the surface of shallow pools

Other Words From

• pleus·ton·ic [ploo-, ston, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pleuston¹

First recorded in 1905–10; from German Pleuston, from Greek pleûs(is) “a sailing” (from pleîn “to sail, go by sea”) + -ton, on the model of nekton, plankton

Word History and Origins

Origin of pleuston¹

C20: from Greek pleusis sailing, from plein to sail; for form, compare plankton