diatom en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈdaɪ.əˌtɔm/ (General-American)
- /ˈdaɪ.ə.təm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From (deprecated) genus name Diatoma, from Ancient Greek διάτομος (diátomos, “cut through, cut in half”).
Meanings
-
Any of a group of minute unicellular algae having a siliceous covering of great delicacy, now categorized as class Diatomophyceae or division Bacillariophyta.
Diatoms are characterized by a cell wall called a fistula made of silica, which usually has two overlapping sections.
2012, Caspar Henderson, The Book of Barely Imagined Beings, Granta Books, published 2013, page 287:Diatoms are enclosed in two shells that fit together like a pillbox.
1967, George K. Reid, edited by Herbert S. Zim and George S. Fichter, Pond Life, New York: Golden Press, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 31:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| diatoms | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
diatomivorous · diatomist · diatomite · diatomic · diatomaceous
Relateds
Translations (21)
pl okrzemka (grouping of minute algae) · ko 규조 (grouping of minute algae) · el διάτομα (grouping of minute algae) · gl diatomea (grouping of minute algae) · de Kieselalge (grouping of minute algae) · es diatomea (grouping of minute algae) · ca diatomea (grouping of minute algae) · cmn 硅藻 (grouping of minute algae) · tr diyatom (grouping of minute algae) · ja 珪藻 (grouping of minute algae) · pt diatomácea (grouping of minute algae) · sv kiselalg (grouping of minute algae) · cs rozsivka (grouping of minute algae) · oc diatomea (grouping of minute algae) · nl kiezelwier (grouping of minute algae) · it diatomea (grouping of minute algae) · fr diatomée (grouping of minute algae) · gd dà-dhadam (grouping of minute algae) · fi piilevä (grouping of minute algae) · nl diatomee (grouping of minute algae) · cmn 矽藻 (grouping of minute algae)