zooplankton
|zo-o-plank-ton|
B2
🇺🇸
/ˌzoʊ.əˈplæŋk.tən/
🇬🇧
/ˌzəʊ.əˈplæŋk.tən/
drifting aquatic animals
Etymology
Etymology Information
'zooplankton' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'zōion' meaning 'animal' and 'planktos' meaning 'drifting'.
Historical Evolution
'zōion' and 'planktos' combined in scientific Latin to form 'zooplankton', which was adopted into English.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to any drifting animal in water, and this meaning has remained consistent.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
small, often microscopic animals that drift or float in water, forming a part of plankton.
Zooplankton are a crucial part of the aquatic food chain.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/04/21 04:50