planktonic
UK /plaŋkˈtɒnɪk/ · US /plæŋkˈtɑnɪk/ adjective
Forms planktic
- adjective Of or pertaining to plankton.
- adjective Floating in the open sea rather than living on the seafloor.
Etymology
From plankton + -ic, after German planktonisch. From Ancient Greek πλαγκτόν (planktón, “drifting”), neuter nominative of πλαγκτός (planktós), from πλάζομαι (plázomai, “to wander, drift”), from πλάζω (plázō, “to cause to wander, drive astray”).
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “planktonic”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details