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Plasmodium - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Plasmodium is a single-celled organism that can cause diseases like malaria. It lives in mosquitoes and spreads to humans through bites, multiplying in the bloodstream and causing illness.

plasmodium

/plæzˈmoʊdiəm/ /plæzˈməʊdiəm/

Definition:

A parasitic protozoan causing malaria, or a multinucleate mass of protoplasm in slime molds.

Synonyms:

parasite, protozoan, sporozoan

Part of Speech:

noun

Antonyms:

host, symbiont

Common Collocations:

plasmodium falciparum, plasmodium vivax, slime mold plasmodium

Derivatives:

plasmodial, plasmodia

Usage Tips:

Use "plasmodium" when referring to the malaria-causing parasite or the vegetative stage of slime molds.

Common Phrases:

plasmodium infection, plasmodium life cycle, fight against plasmodium

Etymology:

From Greek "plasma" (something molded) + "-odium" (diminutive suffix), referring to its shape and structure.

Examples:

  • 1. The plasmodium causes malaria in humans.
  • 2. Scientists study the plasmodium to develop new treatments for malaria.
  • 3. Under the microscope, the plasmodium appears as a moving mass of protoplasm.
  • 4. The slime mold's plasmodium spreads across decaying wood in search of food.

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