nematode

[ nem-uh-tohd ]

/ ˈnɛm əˌtoʊd /

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noun

any unsegmented worm of the phylum Nematoda, having an elongated, cylindrical body; a roundworm.

adjective

pertaining to the Nematoda.

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Origin of nematode

First recorded in 1860–65; nemat- + -ode¹

Words nearby nematode

nematic, nemato-, nematocide, nematocyst, Nematoda, nematode, nematodiasis, nematoid, nematology, nematomorph, Nembutal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use nematode in a sentence

A no-till system also finds its own balance of fungi, earthworms, microbials, beneficial nematodes, and other flora and fauna beneath the surface of the earth.
The Ecology of Good Weed - Issue 104: Harmony|Madison Margolin|August 25, 2021|Nautilus
They came in search of nematodes, tiny worms that cycle nutrients through soil.
Allbirds is stepping up for the planet—by treading lightly on it|sheilamarikar|September 21, 2020|Fortune
You initially had two nematodes that paired up, and after 24 hours there was a 50 percent chance they’d have one offspring.
Are You Hip Enough To Be Square?|Zach Wissner-Gross|August 14, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
A few of the nematode species are free, living under stones and among seaweeds at about low-water mark.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide|Augusta Foote Arnold

The Trichina is a nematode worm, and not an insect, as it was at first called.
Animal Parasites and Messmates|P. J. Van Beneden
Heterodera Schachtii is the name given to a nematode which Mons.
Animal Parasites and Messmates|P. J. Van Beneden
While speaking of these worms, I will allude to a nematode which I observed under very singular circumstances.
Animal Parasites and Messmates|P. J. Van Beneden
The vinegar eel is another nematode worm which has some affinity with the preceding ones.
Animal Parasites and Messmates|P. J. Van Beneden

British Dictionary definitions for nematode

nematode

/ (ˈnɛməˌtəʊd) /

noun

any unsegmented worm of the phylum (or class) Nematoda, having a tough outer cuticle. The group includes free-living forms and disease-causing parasites, such as the hookworm and filariaAlso called: nematode worm, roundworm

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

Medical definitions for nematode

nematode

[ nĕm′ə-tōd′ ]

A parasitic worm of the class Nematoda.roundworm

Scientific definitions for nematode

nematode

[ nĕm′ə-tōd′ ]

Any of several slender, cylindrical worms of the group Nematoda, which some scientists consider to be a class of the aschelminths and others to be a separate phylum. Most nematodes are tiny and live in enormous numbers in water, soil, plants, and animals. They have a simple structure, with a long hollow gut separated from the body wall by a fluid-filled space. Several nematodes, such as pinworm, roundworm, filaria, and hookworm, are parasites on animals and humans and cause disease. One species, Caenorhabditis elegans (usually called C. elegans), was one of the first animals to have its entire genome sequenced and is important in biological research as a model organism.