axopodium
|ax-o-po-di-um|
🇺🇸
/ˌæk.səˈpoʊ.di.əm/
🇬🇧
/ˌæk.səˈpɒd.i.əm/
axis-supported radiating pseudopods
Etymology
'axopodium' originates from New Latin, ultimately from Greek 'axōn' meaning 'axis' and Greek 'podion' (diminutive of 'pous') meaning 'little foot'.
'axopodium' was formed in New Latin/modern scientific Latin from the Greek elements 'axōn' + 'podion' and entered English as a technical biological term in modern zoological literature.
Initially it meant 'axis-like little foot', but over time it became specialized to mean 'a microtubule-supported pseudopod' in certain protists.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a long, thin, radiating pseudopod supported by a central bundle of microtubules, found in certain protists (e.g., heliozoans, radiolarians, centrohelids) and used for buoyancy, feeding, or sensing.
The heliozoan extended several axopodia to capture passing prey.
Last updated: 2025/12/06 16:46