flag·el·late
[v. flaj-uh-leyt; adj., n. flaj-uh-lit, -leyt] verb, flag·el·lat·ed, flag·el·lat·ing, adjective, noun 00:10
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| the primary subdivision of a taxonomic kingdom, grouping together all classes of organisms that have the same body plan |
| adapting to the prevailing conditions and producing offspring that survive to reproductive age; contributing to the gene pool of the next generation |
Related forms
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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| flagellate | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | (tr) to whip; scourge; flog |
| —adj | |
| 2. | possessing one or more flagella |
| 3. | resembling a flagellum; whiplike |
| —n | |
| 4. | a flagellate organism, esp any protozoan of the phylum Zoomastigina |
| flagel'lation | |
| —n | |
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flagellate
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flagellate flag·el·late (flāj'ə-lĭt, -lāt', flə-jěl'ĭt)
adj.
Flagellated.
Relating to or caused by a flagellate organism.
A member of the class Mastigophora, comprising organisms having a flagellum.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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| flagellate (flāj'ə-lāt') Pronunciation Key
Any of various protozoans of the subphylum Mastigophora that move by means of one or more flagella. Some flagellates can make food by photosynthesis (such as euglenas and volvox), and are often classified as green algae by botanists. Others are symbiotic or parasitic (such as trypanosomes). Flagellates are related to amoebas. Also called mastigophoran. |
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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flagellate
(subphylum Mastigophora), any of a group of protozoans, mostly uninucleate organisms, that possess, at some time in the life cycle, one to many flagella for locomotion and sensation. (A flagellum is a hairlike structure capable of whiplike lashing movements that furnish locomotion.) Many flagellates have a thin, firm pellicle (outer covering) or a coating of a jellylike substance. Reproduction is either asexual (usually by longitudinal splitting) or sexual. The flagellates are divided taxonomically into two classes, those resembling plants, Phytomastigophorea (see phytoflagellate), and those resembling animals, Zoomastigophorea (see zooflagellate).
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