protozoan
|pro-to-zo-an|
C1
🇺🇸
/ˌproʊtəˈzoʊən/
🇬🇧
/ˌprəʊtəˈzəʊən/
single-celled organism
Etymology
Etymology Information
'protozoan' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'protozoon,' where 'proto-' meant 'first' and 'zoon' meant 'animal.'
Historical Evolution
'protozoon' transformed into the modern English word 'protozoan' through New Latin.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'first animal,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'single-celled organism.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a single-celled microscopic organism, which can be free-living or parasitic, belonging to the group Protozoa.
The scientist studied the protozoan under the microscope.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/04/17 11:34