dinoflagellate

[ din-uh-flaj-uh-leyt ]

/ ˌdɪn əˈflædʒ əˌleɪt /

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noun

any of numerous chiefly marine plankton of the phylum Pyrrophyta (or, in some classification schemes, the order Dinoflagellata), usually having two flagella, one in a groove around the body and the other extending from its center.

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Origin of dinoflagellate

First recorded in 1900–05; from Greek dînos “rotation, whirling” + flagellate

how to pronounce dinoflagellate

At first glance, it would seem that dinoflagellates are related to dinosaurs, at least with respect to their names. Despite both words beginning with the spelling dino-, however, their etymologies and pronunciations are very different—as are their sizes! The first part of dinosaur comes from the Greek root deinós (“terrifying, frightful”) and is pronounced [dahy-nuh‐]. /ˈdaɪ nə‐/. Dinoflagellate gets its start from the completely different Greek root dînos (“whirling, rotation”), and is pronounced [din-uh‐]. /ˌdɪn ə‐/. With a characteristic corkscrew motion producing a spiral path, the microscopic dinoflagellate is really not terrifying at all.

Words nearby dinoflagellate

dinner theater, dinnertime, dinnerware, dino-, dinoceras, dinoflagellate, dinosaur, dinosaurian, Dinosaur National Monument, dinosaurs, dinothere

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dinoflagellate in a sentence

In fossil deposits from the PETM, paleontologists have found that dinoflagellates—tiny organisms that ooze toxins and can create deadly algal blooms called “red tides”—flourished in the nearly 100°F surface water of the equator.
An ancient era of global warming could hint at our scorching future|Rachel Feltman|August 16, 2021|Popular-Science

British Dictionary definitions for dinoflagellate

dinoflagellate

/ (ˌdaɪnəʊˈflædʒɪlɪt, -ˌleɪt) /

noun

any of a group of unicellular biflagellate aquatic organisms forming a constituent of plankton: now usually classified as a phylum of protoctists (Dinoflagellata)

adjective

of or relating to dinoflagellates

Word Origin for dinoflagellate

C19: from New Latin Dinoflagellata, from Greek dinos whirling + flagellum + -ate 1

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

Scientific definitions for dinoflagellate

dinoflagellate

[ dī′nō-flăj′ə-lĭt ]

Any of numerous one-celled organisms found mostly in the ocean, usually having two flagella of unequal length and often an armorlike covering of cellulose. Dinoflagellates are one of the main components of plankton. Since dinoflagellates have characteristics of both plants and animals, their classification is controversial. See more at red tide.