Amoebas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Microscopic organisms capable of altering their form by extending pseudopodia, these entities typically dwell in watery or damp habitats, feed on organic matter, are classified as protozoans, and reproduce mainly through splitting in two
2. Unicellular organisms that can assume various shapes, often found in aquatic settings and essential for breaking down organic materials
3. Tiny single-celled creatures that move and engulf food by changing shape, usually living in water or wet locations

Etymology: The plural "amoebas" is simply the regular English plural of "amoeba," so the story belongs to the singular. The name comes from Ancient Greek "amoibē," meaning "change," and it describes exactly what these organisms do: they constantly alter their shape, pushing out temporary arms of cytoplasm to flow around a meal and swallow it. The word therefore names a creature by its most visible habit rather than by its size or appearance. A tiny blob that never keeps the same outline is, in effect, a living demonstration of the Greek word's core sense.

Synonyms: amoebae