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periphyton
[p
uh
-
rif
-i-ton]
/pəˈrɪf ɪˌtɒn/
Spell
Syllables
Word Origin
noun
,
Ecology.
1.
the community of tiny organisms, as protozoans, hydras, insect larvae, and snails, that lives on the surfaces of rooted aquatic plants.
Origin of
periphyton
Expand
Greek
1940-1945
1940-45;
probably
peri-
+
Greek
phŷton
plant,
-phyte
, on the model of
plankton
Related forms
Expand
periphytic
[per-
uh
-
fit
-ik]
/ˌpɛr əˈfɪt ɪk/
(
Show IPA
),
adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
Cite This Source
British Dictionary definitions for
periphyton
Expand
periphyton
/
pəˈrɪfɪˌtɒn
/
noun
1.
aquatic organisms, such as certain algae, that live attached to rocks or other surfaces
Word Origin
C20: from Greek, from
peri-
+
phutos,
from
phuein
to grow
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cite This Source
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Difficulty index for
periphyton
Few English speakers likely know this word
Word Value for
periphyton
0
21
Scrabble
Words With Friends
Nearby words for periphyton
periphlebitis
periphrase
periphrasis
periphrastic
periphytic
periphyton
periplasm
periporitis
periproct
periproctitis
periprostatitis
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