dinoflagellate
noun
di·no·fla·gel·late
| \ ˌdī-nō-ˈfla-jə-lət
, -ˌlāt; -flə-ˈje-lət
\
, -ˌlāt; -flə-ˈje-lət
\
Definition of dinoflagellate
: any of an order (Dinoflagellata) of chiefly marine planktonic usually solitary unicellular phytoflagellates that include luminescent forms, forms important in marine food chains, and forms causing red tide
Examples of dinoflagellate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In contrast to dinoflagellates, which swim to access nutrients and light, diatoms float in the ocean and if nutrients abound, the algae bloom. — Jenny Howard, National Geographic, "Red tides, explained," 5 July 2019 The results are less stunning during the day: The dinoflagellates discolor the water in a phenomenon known as red tide, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. — Scottie Andrew And Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN, "Scientists discovered a new species of tiny sharks that glow in the dark," 21 July 2019 This substance is produced by small crustaceans called copepods that often graze on dinoflagellates. — The Economist, "The bioluminescence people find so attractive is a defence mechanism," 21 June 2019 Some species of dinoflagellates light up using a similar to chemical reaction to that of fireflies; both use a naturally occurring molecule called luciferin, named for Lucifer, the light-bearer. — Liz Langley, National Geographic, "How bioluminescence works in nature," 2 May 2019 In Florida, the culprit is a specific dinoflagellate known as Karenia brevis, or K. brevis, which produces 12 neurotoxins that can kill marine animals including fish, turtles, sea birds, manatees, and dolphins. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "What Are Red Tides and Why Are They Getting Worse?," 14 Aug. 2018 Red tides are caused by a type of unicellular algae known as a dinoflagellate. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "What Are Red Tides and Why Are They Getting Worse?," 14 Aug. 2018 Red tide is a natural occurrence that happens due to the presence of nutrients in the water and an organism called a dinoflagellate. — Tamara Lush, The Seattle Times, "In first 8 months of year, manatee death toll surpasses 2017," 20 Aug. 2018 The nicest thing one can say about K. brevis is that it is named in honor of Karen Steidinger, a renown expert who studied the harmful dinoflagellate for 40 years. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "What Are Red Tides and Why Are They Getting Worse?," 14 Aug. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dinoflagellate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for dinoflagellate
dinoflagellate
noun
di·no·fla·gel·late
| \ ˌdī-nō-ˈflaj-ə-lət
, -ˌlāt
, -flə-ˈjel-ət\
, -ˌlāt
, -flə-ˈjel-ət\
Medical Definition of dinoflagellate
: any of division or phylum (Dinoflagellata) of chiefly marine, planktonic, unicellular protists that include luminescent forms, forms important in marine food chains, and forms causing red tide