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

nemathelminth, nematic, nemato-, nematocide, nematocyst, nematode, nematology, nematomorph, Nembutal, Nembutsu, nem. con.

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

How to use nematode in a sentence

Compared to classic models for aging studies, including nematode worms, fruit flies, or mice, dogs are far closer to humans on the evolutionary scale.
The Dog Aging Project Will Study Longevity in 60,000 Pups|Shelly Fan|February 8, 2022|Singularity Hub
The nematodes first roamed randomly, but over the course of an hour, some began clustering in the middle.
Vinegar eels can synchronize swim|Nikk Ogasa|February 2, 2022|Science News
The investigators were also unsure of how the nematodes infiltrated the breeding facility.
What do you call a tiny tarantula killer? Jeff Daniels.|Purbita Saha|January 26, 2022|Popular-Science
For instance, if we sequence only 69,999 of the 70,000 species of nematode, we might miss the one that could divulge the secrets of how nematodes can cause diseases in animals and plants.
Scientists Are Sequencing the Genome of Every Complex Species on Earth|Jenny Graves|January 20, 2022|Singularity Hub

Kern says the nematodes are healthier and longer lived with this pathway suppressed, considering they can no longer void their guts.
These worms produce milk, but only when they kick the bucket|Elana Spivack|October 12, 2021|Popular-Science
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

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.