ameba

or a·moe·ba

[ uh-mee-buh ]

noun

, plural a·me·bas, a·me·bae [uh, -, mee, -bee].

1. any of numerous freshwater, marine, or parasitic one-celled protozoa of the order Amoebida, characterized by a granular nucleus surrounded by a jellylike mass of cytoplasm that forms temporary extensions, or pseudopodia, by which the organism moves, engulfs food particles, and forms food vacuoles.
2. a protozoan of the genus Amoeba, inhabiting bottom vegetation of freshwater ponds and streams: used widely in laboratory studies.

ameba

/ əˈmiːbə /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of amoeba

Derived Forms

• aˈmebic, adjective

Other Words From

• a·meba·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ameba¹

From New Latin amoeba, from Greek amoibḗ “change, alternation,”, akin to ameíbein “to exchange”

Example Sentences

City officials said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the presence of the ameba in water samples from the Don Misenhimer Park splash pad on Friday.

From Seattle Times

“Ask me about brain-eating amebas,” a supervisor in the waterborne disease prevention branch beckoned on a sign.

From Wall Street Journal

The ameba solves this difficulty by dividing to form two amebæ.

From Project Gutenberg

So the ameba grows and moves and does as it likes.

From Project Gutenberg

“Those are some dried specimens of ameba that I wish to study under a microscope.”

From Project Gutenberg