dinoflagellate

[ din-uh-flaj-uh-leyt ]

noun

1. any of numerous chiefly marine plankton of the phylum Pyrrophyta (or, in some classification schemes, the order Dinoflagellata), usually having two flagella, one in a groove around the body and the other extending from its center.

dinoflagellate

/ -ˌleɪt; ˌdaɪnəʊˈflædʒɪlɪt /

noun

1. any of a group of unicellular biflagellate aquatic organisms forming a constituent of plankton: now usually classified as a phylum of protoctists ( Dinoflagellata )

adjective

1. of or relating to dinoflagellates

dinoflagellate

/ dī′nō-flăj′ə-lĭt /

1. Any of numerous one-celled organisms found mostly in the ocean, usually having two flagella of unequal length and often an armorlike covering of cellulose. Dinoflagellates are one of the main components of plankton. Since dinoflagellates have characteristics of both plants and animals, their classification is controversial.
2. See more at red tide

Pronunciation Note

At first glance, it would seem that dinoflagellates are related to dinosaurs, at least with respect to their names. Despite both words beginning with the spelling dino-, however, their etymologies and pronunciations are very different—as are their sizes! The first part of dinosaur comes from the Greek root deinós (“terrifying, frightful”) and is pronounced [dahy, -n, uh, ‐]. Dinoflagellate gets its start from the completely different Greek root dînos (“whirling, rotation”), and is pronounced [din-, uh, ‐]. With a characteristic corkscrew motion producing a spiral path, the microscopic dinoflagellate is really not terrifying at all.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dinoflagellate¹

First recorded in 1900–05; from Greek dînos “rotation, whirling” + flagellate

Word History and Origins

Origin of dinoflagellate¹

C19: from New Latin Dinoflagellata, from Greek dinos whirling + flagellum + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

P. lunula is an example of a dinoflagellate -- a single-celled organism that cannot move on its own.

From Science Daily

During the day, those dinoflagellates cast a rusty hue across the ocean — often called a “red tide” — which sky cameras on Tuesday captured around the Santa Monica Pier.

From Los Angeles Times

Although microbes of all kinds flourished in the bottles, in-water measurements taken around the same time showed that dinoflagellates—a type of plankton associated with harmful algal blooms—were benefiting disproportionately.

From Science Magazine

To keep working, the dinoflagellates within the materials need periodic cycles of light and darkness.

From Science Daily

This includes green algae and other types of microalgae that also associate with coral reefs called dinoflagellates.

From Science Daily