Protozoa

[ proh-tuh-zoh-uh ]
See synonyms for Protozoa on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a major grouping or superphylum of the kingdom Protista, comprising the protozoans.

Compare Meanings

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.

Origin of Protozoa

1
From New Latin, dating back to 1825–35; see origin at proto-, -zoa

Words Nearby Protozoa

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use Protozoa in a sentence

  • The lowest Protozoa are entirely without any system of colouring; being merely of uniform tint, generally of brown colour.

  • By far the most important addition is the inclusion of an entirely new section on Pathogenic Protozoa.

  • Such lowly organized forms are known to naturalists as the Protozoa.

  • The present chapter will be devoted to the Protozoa—the sub-kingdom that includes the simplest of all animal beings.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux
  • These cells, called choanocytes, resemble independent animals of the Protozoa, known as flagellate Infusoria or Choanoflagellata.

    The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide | Augusta Foote Arnold

Cultural definitions for protozoa

protozoa

[ (proh-tuh-zoh-uh) ]


Single-celled animals, such as amoebas, that are the most primitive form of animal life. In modern biology, they are classified in the kingdom of Protoctista rather than in the animal kingdom. (See Linnean classification.)

Notes for protozoa

Some protozoa are parasites and may be pathogenic, causing diseases such as malaria and dysentery.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.