animalcule
UK /ænɪˈmælkjuːl/ · US /ˌænəˈmælˌkjul/ noun
Forms animalcules
- noun (physiology, historical) A sperm cell or spermatozoon; also, the embryo that was formerly thought to be contained inside a spermatozoon in a fully developed state.
- noun (zoology, archaic) A microscopic aquatic animal, including protozoa and rotifers.
- noun (obsolete) A small animal.
Synonyms
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Late Latin animalculum (“lowly or small animal”) + English -cule (diminutive suffix). Animalculum is derived from Latin animal (“animal; living creature”) + -culum (diminutive suffix); and animal from animāle, the nominative neuter singular of animālis (“animate, living; relating to living creatures”), from anima (“breath; life; soul, spirit”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe”)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship). The English word is analysable as animal + -cule.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A small animal, as a fly, spider, etc. [Obs.] Ray.
- noun An animal, invisible, or nearly so, to the naked eye. See Infusoria.
Etymology [As if fr. a L. animalculum, dim. of animal.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “animalcule”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details