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Animalcule: meaning, definitions and examples

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animalcule

 

[ ˌænɪˈmælkjul ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

microscopic organism

An animalcule is a term that historically referred to a microscopic or tiny organism, often used to describe single-celled life forms. These organisms are usually so small that they can only be seen with a microscope. The term has fallen out of popular usage but can still be encountered in historical biological texts.

Synonyms

microbe, microorganism, protozoan

Examples of usage

  • Early scientists studied various animalcules under the microscope.
  • The pond water was teeming with tiny animalcules.
  • He discovered a new type of animalcule in his laboratory experiment.

Translations

Translations of the word "animalcule" in other languages:

🇵🇹 animalcule

🇮🇳 सूक्ष्मजीव

🇩🇪 Tierchen

🇮🇩 mikroba

🇺🇦 тваринка

🇵🇱 zwierzątko

🇯🇵 微生物

🇫🇷 animalcule

🇪🇸 animalículo

🇹🇷 hayvançık

🇰🇷 미생물

🇸🇦 حيوان صغير

🇨🇿 živočich

🇸🇰 živočích

🇨🇳 微小生物

🇸🇮 živček

🇮🇸 dýrsýn

🇰🇿 жануарша

🇬🇪 ცხოველი

🇦🇿 heyvan

🇲🇽 animalículo

Etymology

The term 'animalcule' originated in the late 17th century, derived from the Latin word 'animalculum,' which is a diminutive form of 'animalis' meaning 'animal'. The suffix 'cule' suggests smallness, indicating that animalcules are thought of as little animals. The use of the term was popularized in the 1670s when early microscopists, such as Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, began to observe tiny living organisms using microscopes for the first time. While initially used to refer to all microscopic life, it has since become largely obsolete, supplanted by more specific terms such as microorganism, protozoan, and bacteria as our understanding of microbiology has advanced.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,192, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.