chytrid

[ kahy-trid, ki- ]

noun

1. any of the simple, algaelike fungi constituting the class Chytridiomycetes, order Chytridiales, of aquatic and soil environments, having flagellated zoospores and little or no mycelium.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chytrid¹

< New Latin Chytridiales, equivalent to Chytridi ( um ) the type genus (< Greek chytrídion, diminutive of chýtra pipkin) + -ales -ales

Example Sentences

As the chytrid fungus swept through the mountains, individuals that harbored these microbes tended to survive.

From Nautilus