any parasitic nematode worm of the family Filariidae, living in the blood and tissues of vertebrates and transmitted by insects: the cause of filariasis
Derived forms
filarial (fiˈlarial) or filarian (fiˈlarian)
adjective
Word origin
C19: New Latin (former name of genus), from Latin fīlum thread
filaria in American English
(fɪˈlɛriə)
nounWord forms: pluralfiˈlariˌae (fɪˈlɛriˌi)
any of a superfamily (Filarioidea) of threadlike, parasitic nematode worms that live in the blood and tissues of vertebrate animals: they are carried and transmittedby mosquitoes and other invertebrates