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pleuston

[ploo-stuh n, -ston] /ˈplu stən, -stɒn/
noun, Biology.
1.
a buoyant mat of weeds, algae, and associated organisms that floats on or near the surface of a lake, river, or other body of fresh water.
Origin of pleuston
Greek
1940-1945
1940-45; pleus- (< Greek pleûs(is) sailing, or pleus- aorist stem of pleîn to sail, go by sea) + -ton, on the model of nekton, plankton
Related forms
pleustonic
[ploo-ston-ik] /pluˈstɒn ɪk/ (Show IPA), adjective
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
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British Dictionary definitions for pleustonic

pleustonic

/pluːˈstɒnɪk/
adjective
1.
of or relating to pleuston
2.
denoting a marine organism held at the surface of the water by a float, such as the Portuguese man-of-war

pleuston

/ˈpluːstən; -stɒn/
noun
1.
a mass of small organisms, esp algae, floating at the surface of shallow pools
Word Origin
C20: from Greek pleusis sailing, from plein to sail; for form, compare plankton
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
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