radiolarian

[ rey-dee-oh-lair-ee-uhn ]

noun

1. any minute, marine protozoan of the class Radiolaria, or, in some classification schemes, the superclass Actinopoda, having an amebalike body with radiating, filamentous pseudopodia and a usually elaborate outer skeleton.

radiolarian

/ ˌreɪdɪəʊˈlɛərɪən /

noun

1. any of various marine protozoans constituting the order Radiolaria , typically having a siliceous shell and stiff radiating cytoplasmic projections: phylum Actinopoda (actinopods)

radiolarian

/ rā′dē-ō-lâr′ē-ən /

1. Any of various marine protozoans of the group Radiolaria, having rigid skeletons usually made of silica. The skeletons are usually spherically symmetrical and structurally complex, containing elaborate patterns of perforations (through which pseudopods extend) and often spicules. Skeletal remains of radiolarians sink to form ooze on the ocean floor, and prehistoric radiolarian ooze has fossilized to become chert and flint.

Word History and Origins

Origin of radiolarian¹

1875–80; < New Latin Radiolari ( a ) name of the group ( Latin radiol ( us ) a small beam, equivalent to radi ( us ) radius + -olus -ole ¹ + -aria -aria ) + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of radiolarian¹

C19: from New Latin Radiolaria , from Late Latin radiolus little sunbeam, from Latin radius ray, radius

Example Sentences

In the Kapoewas district radiolarian cherts supposed to be of Jurassic age are met with.

From Project Gutenberg

True pigment-cells, belonging to the Radiolarian organism, do not occur within the central capsule.

From Project Gutenberg

Hence it may be supposed that a large part of the red clay consists of decomposed Radiolarian ooze.

From Project Gutenberg

The whole number of Radiolarian genera distinguished in that first system was forty-four.

From Project Gutenberg

To him a radiolarian, or any other creature, is of interest, not so much on its own account as for its associations.

From Project Gutenberg