cyanophytes
|cy-a-no-phytes|
🇺🇸
/ˈsaɪəˌnoʊfaɪts/
🇬🇧
/ˈsaɪəˌnəʊfaɪts/
(cyanophyte)
blue-green photosynthetic microbe (cyanobacteria)
Etymology
'cyanophyte' originates from New Latin 'Cyanophyta', ultimately from Greek, specifically the elements 'kyanos' and 'phyton', where 'kyanos' meant 'dark blue' and 'phyton' meant 'plant'.
'cyanophyte' changed from the New Latin taxonomic name 'Cyanophyta' (used in 19th-century botanical and microbiological literature) and eventually entered English as the common name 'cyanophyte' for members of that group.
Initially, it meant 'blue-green plant' (treated as an alga); over time, as taxonomy advanced, the reference shifted to 'cyanobacteria' (photosynthetic bacteria), reflecting a change from plant-like classification to prokaryotic classification.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'cyanophyte'.
cyanophytes were listed in older taxonomic accounts of algae.
Noun 2
members of the group Cyanophyta — commonly called cyanobacteria or blue-green algae — photosynthetic prokaryotes found in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial habitats; historically treated as algae in older literature.
In warm, nutrient-rich conditions cyanophytes can form dense blooms that discolor the water.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/20 20:54