Euglena

[ yoo-glee-nuh ]
/ yuˈgli nə /

noun

a genus of green freshwater protozoans having a reddish eyespot and a single flagellum, found especially in stagnant waters.

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Origin of Euglena

1895–1900; <New Latin <Greek eu-eu- + glḗnē the pupil, eyeball, socket of a joint

Words nearby Euglena

Eugenius II, Eugenius III, Eugenius IV, eugenol, eugeosyncline, Euglena, euglenophyte, euglobulin, euglycemia, eugnathia, eugonic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

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British Dictionary definitions for Euglena

euglena
/ (juːˈɡliːnə) /

noun

any freshwater unicellular organism of the genus Euglena, moving by means of flagella and typically having holophytic nutrition. It has been variously regarded as an alga or a protozoan but is now usually classified as a protoctist (phylum Euglenophyta)

Derived forms of euglena

euglenoid, adjective, noun

Word Origin for euglena

C19: from New Latin, from eu- + Greek glēnē eyeball, socket of a joint
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 Euglena

euglena
[ yōō-glē′nə ]

Any of various unicellular protist organisms of the genus Euglena that live in fresh water, have a cylindrical or sausage-like shape, and move by means of a flagellum. Euglenas contain chloroplasts and can produce their own food by photosynthesis. They can also absorb nutrients directly into the cell from the environment. Euglenas have no rigid covering or cell wall, such as the cellulose cell walls of green algae or plants, over the membrane enclosing the plasma of their cells. They also have a reddish, light-sensitive eyespot which helps them navigate in relation to light sources. In warm weather, euglenas multiply rapidly and form scum on the surfaces of bodies of water.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.