Plasmodiums

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Multinucleate protoplasmic masses found in slime molds ; single-celled parasites of the genus that transmits and causes malaria in humans
2. Many-nucleused masses of living matter produced by certain slime molds ; microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells and cause malaria
3. Streaming, multinucleate blobs of protoplasm seen in slime molds ; protozoan parasites carried by mosquitoes that bring on malarial fever

Etymology: "Plasmodiums" is the plural of "plasmodium," the name for the multinucleate, amoeba-like stage in the life cycle of slime moulds and of the parasites that cause malaria. The word was built in German in the nineteenth century, when biologists needed a term for these unusual living masses. It was formed from the Latin "plasma," itself borrowed from Greek "plasma," meaning something formed or moulded, from a root meaning to shape. The German coinage took a Latin-based word and added a Greek-derived ending, so the result is a neat blend of two classical traditions. In English the form "plasmodiums" follows ordinary English practice for nouns ending in "-um," though many scientists prefer the Latin plural "plasmodia."