ameba
or a·moe·ba
[ uh-mee-buh ]
/ əˈmi bə /
noun, plural a·me·bas, a·me·bae [uh-mee-bee]. /əˈmi bi/.
any of numerous freshwater, marine, or parasitic one-celled protozoa of the order Amoebida, characterized by a granular nucleus surrounded by a jellylike mass of cytoplasm that forms temporary extensions, or pseudopodia, by which the organism moves, engulfs food particles, and forms food vacuoles.
a protozoan of the genus Amoeba, inhabiting bottom vegetation of freshwater ponds and streams: used widely in laboratory studies.
QUIZZES
FOR LEXICAL ALIMENTATION, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!
Nourish your vocabulary with a refresher on the words from the week of September 14–20, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “blatherskite” mean?
Origin of ameba
From New Latin amoeba, from Greek amoibḗ “change, alternation,”, akin to ameíbein “to exchange”
OTHER WORDS FROM ameba
a·me·ba·like, adjectiveWords nearby ameba
AMD, A.M.D.G., am-dram, amdt., A.M.E., ameba, amebiasis, amebic, amebic abscess, amebic colitis, amebic dysentery
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for ameba
British Dictionary definitions for ameba
Derived forms of ameba
amebic, adjectiveCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for ameba
ameba
n. pl. a•me•bas
A protozoa of the genus Amoeba and of related genera, occurring in soil and water and parasitic in animals.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for ameba
ameba
[ ə-mē′bə ]
Another spelling of amoeba.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.