Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

protozoan

[proh-tuh-zoh-uhn] / ˌproʊ təˈzoʊ ən /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Giardia duodenalis is a microscopic protozoan parasite known for causing outbreaks of severe diarrhea.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 21, 2025

It’s not yet clear, however, exactly how the Amazonian variant wards off the protozoan invader.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 7, 2023

It's a protozoan, similar to the malaria parasite.

From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2022

One common protozoan disease known to occur in birds, which evolved from feathered dinosaurs, as well as in people is called trichomoniasis, caused by a parasitic protozoan.

From Reuters ● Oct. 1, 2022

These, under high magnification, turn out to be bacteria, living in symbiosis with the spirochetes and the protozoan, probably contributing enzymes that break down the cellulose.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

The host of life on ice includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, even microscopic animals like nematodes, some dead and some alive in suspended animation.

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2025

It seems miraculous that, over billions of years, our planetary circumstances enabled protozoa to evolve into people.

From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2023

Bottom line: If you must have tropical milkweed, cut it down to the ground each fall before it goes to seed, to kill any overwintering protozoa and reduce its potential to spread to neighboring areas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2023

Food turns into compost through the hard work of small microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.

From National Geographic ● Sep. 26, 2023

Far from recognizing that protozoa were different in character from larger organisms, Leeuwenhoek’s work seemed to imply that they were the same.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

That figure does not even count certain bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoans that are also considered to be parasitic.

From New York Times ● Jan. 9, 2023

The researchers explored whether the holes had been caused by an infection involving microbes called protozoans.

From Reuters ● Oct. 1, 2022

The broadest definition of “parasite” includes pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoans.

From Scientific American ● May 18, 2022

His companion guide to garden science is a learned romp through plant biology; solar energy and soil nutrients; the movement of vines; and “fellow gardeners”, from single-celled protozoans to beetles.

From Nature ● Mar. 20, 2018

The scoutmaster had given them a long lecture about disrupting nature—by the end of it, Jonah felt guilty about how many protozoans he’d probably killed.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix



Vocabulary lists containing protozoan


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training