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Glite Dictionary
Swammerdam

Swammerdam

1 9.9
A Dutch scientist from the 1600s who used a microscope to study insects and discovered red blood cells
  • proper noun
: Swammerdam
  • The research conducted by Swammerdam laid the groundwork for modern microscopy.

Examples

  • Many scientists today still reference Swammerdam's findings in their studies of biology.

  • They found none, though they did have some success in modifying, ever so slightly, the illustrations of Jan Swammerdam's eviscerated mayfly larva.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Jan Swammerdam made significant contributions to the study of insect anatomy.

Surface Forms

Swammerdam main

Etymology

Swammerdam is a Dutch family name that contains dam, which means 'dike' or 'barrier' and also appears in Amsterdam, so the name points to his Dutch origin. A helpful way to remember Swammerdam is to notice swarm in the name, linking it to his famous work on insects with a microscope, so the name reminds us of the Dutch scientist who studied tiny creatures and red blood cells.