paramecium

noun

par·a·me·cium ˌper-ə-ˈmē-sh(ē-)əm How to pronounce paramecium (audio)

-sē-əm,

ˌpa-rə-

plural paramecia ˌper-ə-ˈmē-sh(ē-)ə How to pronounce paramecium (audio)

-sē-ə,

ˌpa-rə-

also parameciums

: any of a genus (Paramecium) of ciliate chiefly freshwater protozoans that have an elongate body rounded at the anterior end and an oblique funnel-shaped buccal groove bearing the mouth at the extremity

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin Paramecium, pre-Linnaean name for protozoa of the genus, from Greek paramḗkēs "oblong, oval" (from para- para- entry 1 + -mēkēs, adjective corresponding to mêkos "length, height, magnitude") + New Latin -ium -ium — more at meager

Note: The name Paramecium was introduced, in both Latin descriptions and English descriptions maintaining the Latin coinage Paramecium, by the English polymath John Hill (ca. 1714-1775) in An History of Animals (London, 1752, vol. 3 of his A General Natural History), p. 4. The word was first used as a Linnaean genus name by Otto Frederik Müller in Vermivm terrestrium et fluviatilium, seu, Animalium infusoriorum … succincta historia, vol. 1 (Copenhagen & Leipzig, 1773), p. 54 (spelled unetymologically Paramæcium, corrected in later publications).

First Known Use

1752, in the meaning defined above

单词	paramecium
释义	paramecium noun par·a·me·cium ˌper-ə-ˈmē-sh(ē-)əm -sē-əm, ˌpa-rə- plural paramecia ˌper-ə-ˈmē-sh(ē-)ə -sē-ə, ˌpa-rə- also parameciums : any of a genus (Paramecium) of ciliate chiefly freshwater protozoans that have an elongate body rounded at the anterior end and an oblique funnel-shaped buccal groove bearing the mouth at the extremity Word History Etymology borrowed from New Latin Paramecium, pre-Linnaean name for protozoa of the genus, from Greek paramḗkēs "oblong, oval" (from para- para- entry 1 + -mēkēs, adjective corresponding to mêkos "length, height, magnitude") + New Latin -ium -ium — more at meager Note: The name Paramecium was introduced, in both Latin descriptions and English descriptions maintaining the Latin coinage Paramecium, by the English polymath John Hill (ca. 1714-1775) in An History of Animals (London, 1752, vol. 3 of his A General Natural History), p. 4. The word was first used as a Linnaean genus name by Otto Frederik Müller in Vermivm terrestrium et fluviatilium, seu, Animalium infusoriorum … succincta historia, vol. 1 (Copenhagen & Leipzig, 1773), p. 54 (spelled unetymologically Paramæcium, corrected in later publications). First Known Use 1752, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition paramecium noun par·a·me·cium ˌper-ə-ˈmē-shē-əm -sē-əm plural paramecia -shē-ə, -sē-ə also parameciums : a tiny living thing found in water that is a single cell shaped like a slipper and moves by means of cilia Medical Definition paramecium noun par·a·me·cium ˌpar-ə-ˈmē-sh(ē-)əm, -sē-əm 1 capitalized : a genus of ciliate protozoans that have an elongate body rounded at the anterior end and an oblique funnel-shaped buccal groove bearing the mouth at the extremity 2 plural paramecia -sh(ē-)ə, -sē-ə also parameciums : any ciliate protozoan of the genus Paramecium
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paramecium

noun

Word History

Kids Definition

noun

Medical Definition

noun