plankton

[plangk-tuhn]

noun

1. the aggregate of passively floating, drifting, or somewhat motile organisms occurring in a body of water, primarily comprising microscopic algae and protozoa.

plankton

/ plæŋkˈtɒnɪk, ˈplæŋktən /

noun

1. the organisms inhabiting the surface layer of a sea or lake, consisting of small drifting plants and animals, such as diatoms Compare nekton

plankton

1. Small organisms that float or drift in great numbers in bodies of salt or fresh water. Plankton is a primary food source for many animals, and consists of bacteria, protozoans, certain algae, cnidarians, tiny crustaceans such as copepods, and many other organisms.

2. Compare benthos nekton

Other Word Forms

• planktonic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plankton¹

1890–95; < German, special use of neuter of Greek planktós drifting, equivalent to plang-, variant stem of plázesthai to drift, roam, wander + -tos verbid suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of plankton¹

C19: via German from Greek planktos wandering, from plazesthai to roam

Example Sentences

Some strategies use biological processes, such as increasing plankton or seaweed growth so they can take up carbon dioxide as they develop.

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The robot searched through her computer brain and found words like plankton and bioluminescence.

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Three years later, their partnership has produced an unprecedented body of knowledge about hundreds of protist species and laid the groundwork for a "planetary atlas" of plankton.

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Each nest was swept clean of the plankton debris that blanketed the surrounding sediment, creating a landscape of geometric order across the ocean floor.

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"Without these predators, fish populations could become out of control, and they would in turn consume too much plankton and vegetation until the system collapses."

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