cryptosporidium

noun

cryp·​to·​spo·​rid·​i·​um ˌkrip-tō-spȯr-ˈi-dē-əm How to pronounce cryptosporidium (audio)
plural cryptosporidia ˌkrip-tō-spȯr-ˈi-dē-ə How to pronounce cryptosporidium (audio)
: any of a genus (Cryptosporidium of the order Coccidia) of protozoans parasitic in the gut of vertebrates including humans and sometimes causing diarrhea

Examples of cryptosporidium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web These untreated juices could contain salmonella, e. coli and cryptosporidium parasites. Marina Watts, People.com, 4 Oct. 2024 Additional information on cryptosporidium can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website. Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 16 Aug. 2024 The cryptosporidium parasite causes a gastrointestinal illness marked by abdominal cramps, watery diarrhea, low-grade fever, vomiting and nausea. Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 16 Aug. 2024 In fact, the well was a lifeline for many during the 1993 cryptosporidium outbreak that ravaged the municipal water supply. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 23 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for cryptosporidium 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cryptosporidium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, genus name, from crypto- crypto- + sporidium "small spore," from spora spore entry 1 + -idium -idium

Note: Taxon introduced by the American physician and parasitologist Ernest E. Tyzzer (1875-1965) in "A sporozoan found in the peptic glands of the common mouse," Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, vol. 5 (1907-08), pp. 12-13.

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cryptosporidium was in 1910

Dictionary Entries Near cryptosporidium

Cite this Entry

“Cryptosporidium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptosporidium. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

cryptosporidium

noun
cryp·​to·​spo·​rid·​i·​um ˌkrip-tō-spȯr-ˈid-ē-əm How to pronounce cryptosporidium (audio)
1
capitalized : a genus of protozoans of the order Coccidia that are parasitic in the gut of many vertebrates including humans and that sometimes cause diarrhea especially in individuals who are immunocompromised (as in AIDS)
2
plural cryptosporidia -ē-ə How to pronounce cryptosporidium (audio) : any protozoan of the genus Cryptosporidium
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