macro-organisms
|mac-ro-or-gan-ism-s|
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/ˌmækroʊˈɔrɡənɪzəmz/
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/ˌmækrəʊˈɔːɡənɪzəmz/
(macroorganism)
large living being
Etymology
'macroorganism' originates from Greek-derived prefix 'macro-' and the Neo-Latin/modern scientific noun 'organism'; 'macro-' comes from Greek 'makrós' meaning 'large', and 'organism' from Greek 'organismós' (via Latin/French) meaning 'an organized being'.
'organism' entered scientific English from New Latin (organismus) and French in the 18th–19th centuries; the prefix 'macro-' (from Greek) was attached in modern scientific usage to form compounds like 'macroorganism' to contrast with 'microorganism'.
Initially the parts meant 'large' + 'organized living being'; over time the compounded term came to be used specifically in ecology and microbiology to denote organisms visible without a microscope (contrasted with microorganisms).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'macroorganism': an organism large enough to be seen with the naked eye (often contrasted with microorganisms); typically multicellular animals, plants, or fungi.
Macro-organisms such as earthworms and beetles contribute significantly to soil structure and nutrient cycling.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/27 00:46