archaea

¹ American  

[ahr-kee-uh] / ˈɑr ki ə /

plural noun

Microbiology.

singular

archaeon

1. a group of microorganisms, including the methanogens and certain halophiles and thermoacidophiles, that have RNA sequences, coenzymes, and a cell wall composition that are different from all other organisms: considered to be an ancient form of life that evolved separately from bacteria and algae and classified as constituting the domain Archaea.

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Archaea ² American  

[ahr-kee-uh] / ˈɑr ki ə /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. (in the three-domain system of classification) the taxonomic domain comprising the archaea.

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Etymology

Origin of archaea¹

First recorded in 1985–90; from New Latin, from Greek archaîa, neuter plural of archaîos “ancient”; see origin at archaeo- ( def. )

Origin of Archaea²

First recorded in 1990–95; from New Latin; see origin at archaea ( def. )

Example Sentences

These tiny organisms form the base of the marine food chain, meaning the activity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea ultimately helps sustain ocean biodiversity.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026

"These Asgard archaea are often missed by low-coverage sequencing," said co-author Kathryn Appler, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026

Writing in the journal Nature, the team focused on a group of microbes called Asgard archaea, which are considered close relatives of the ancestors of complex life.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026

"Diverse bacteria and archaea possess the genetic capacity for MISO," explains lead author Song-Can Chen, "and they are found in a wide range of natural and human-made environments."

From Science Daily • Nov. 9, 2025

So far, it was thought that these parasitic archaea just eat any kind of lipids from their host to construct their membrane.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024