amoeba

 
Pronunciation: /əˈmiːbə/
(US also ameba)

noun (plural amoebas or amoebae /-biː/)

  • a single-celled animal which catches food and moves about by extending finger-like projections of protoplasm. Amoebas are either free-living in damp environments or parasitic.
    • Many families and genera in the phylum Rhizopoda, kingdom Protista, including the aquatic Amoeba proteus

Derivatives

amoebic

adjective

amoeboid

adjective

Origin:

mid 19th century: modern Latin, from Greek amoibē 'change, alternation'