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Glite Dictionary
radiolarian

radiolarian

9.9
A tiny single-celled sea animal with a glass-like skeleton and thin arms
  • noun
  • /ˌreɪdiəˈlɛəriən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : radiolario
  • The study of radiolarians provides insights into the health of marine ecosystems, as these protozoans play an important role in the oceanic food web.

Examples

  • You can find radiolarians in ocean waters, where their radiating pseudopods help them capture tiny food particles.

  • You have my dream job, Brian: mud, radiolarians, the sea, and sunsets.

    Blog text (10)

  • Radiolarians are fascinating creatures that have intricate silica skeletons, making them unique among single-celled marine organisms.

Surface Forms

radiolarian singular
radiolarians plural

Morphology

radiolarian = Radiolaria (opaque) = radiol + ian

The form uses a specialized scientific combining form ('radiol-') and the taxonomic base 'Radiolaria'; the meaning is technical and not derivable by an average B1 learner from common English morphemes.

Etymology

The word radiolarian comes from the root radi-, which means 'ray' or 'spoke' and is the same idea in words like radius and radiant. That's why a radiolarian is a tiny single-celled sea organism with a glassy skeleton and long, ray-like arms that spread out.