plankton
noun
the aggregate of passively floating, drifting, or somewhat motile organisms occurring in a body of water, primarily comprising microscopic algae and protozoa.
planktonic
-
a word derived from
plankton.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As the chemistry of the water shifted, the team also detected a rise in planktonic cells, suggesting that more microbes were present in the water column than before.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2025
“From these preliminary observations there appears to be some direct correlation of the planktonic animals with the scattering layer,” Johnson wrote.
From Scientific American ● Aug. 20, 2022
Puckett, T. M. Santonian–Maastrichtian planktonic foraminiferal and ostracode biostratigraphy of the northern Gulf Coastal Plain, USA.
From Nature ● Apr. 10, 2018
The researchers pointed to a form of planktonic alga known as Emiliania huxleyi, which in laboratory experiments was able to adapt to some extent to counter the negative effects acidification had upon it.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 23, 2017
Rotifers are typically free-swimming and truly planktonic organisms, but the toes or extensions of the foot can secrete a sticky material forming a holdfast to help them adhere to surfaces.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
