Protozoa

[ proh-tuh-zoh-uh ]

/ ˌproʊ təˈzoʊ ə /

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noun

a major grouping or superphylum of the kingdom Protista, comprising the protozoans.

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Origin of Protozoa

From New Latin, dating back to 1825–35; see origin at proto-, -zoa

Words nearby Protozoa

prototype, prototypical, protovertebra, protoxide, protoxylem, Protozoa, protozoan, protozoiasis, protozoicide, protozoology, protozoon

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

How to use Protozoa in a sentence

The lowest Protozoa are entirely without any system of colouring; being merely of uniform tint, generally of brown colour.
Colouration in Animals and Plants|Alfred Tylor
By far the most important addition is the inclusion of an entirely new section on Pathogenic Protozoa.
The Elements of Bacteriological Technique|John William Henry Eyre
Such lowly organized forms are known to naturalists as the Protozoa.
The Works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 1|Francis Maitland Balfour
The present chapter will be devoted to the Protozoa—the sub-kingdom that includes the simplest of all animal beings.
The Sea Shore|William S. Furneaux

These cells, called choanocytes, resemble independent animals of the Protozoa, known as flagellate Infusoria or Choanoflagellata.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide|Augusta Foote Arnold

Medical definitions for Protozoa

protozoa

[ prō′tə-zō′ə ]

Plural ofprotozoan

Cultural definitions for Protozoa

protozoa

[ (proh-tuh-zoh-uh) ]

Single-celled animals, such as amoebas, that are the most primitive form of animal life. In modern biology, they are classified in the kingdom of Protoctista rather than in the animal kingdom. (See Linnean classification.)

notes for protozoa

Some protozoa are parasites and may be pathogenic, causing diseases such as malaria and dysentery.