Illustration of radiolarian
radiolarian
noun
ra·di·o·lar·i·an
ˌrā-dē-ō-ˈler-ē-ən 
: any of three classes (Acantharia, Polycystina, and Phaeodaria) of usually spherical chiefly planktonic marine protozoans having radiating threadlike pseudopodia and often a siliceous skeleton of spicules
radiolarian
adjective
Examples of radiolarian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At left, a large Thalassicolanucleata radiolarian with a central capsule enclosing the nucleus.
—
Discover Magazine, 3 June 2015
The organic carbon decline coincided with the disappearance of more than 50 species of radiolarians, which served as a food source for numerous marine species and whose disappearance was an indicator of a major biological crisis.
—Reuters, WIRED, 10 May 2001
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Discover Magazine, 3 June 2015
The organic carbon decline coincided with the disappearance of more than 50 species of radiolarians, which served as a food source for numerous marine species and whose disappearance was an indicator of a major biological crisis.
—Reuters, WIRED, 10 May 2001
Dictionary Entries Near radiolarian
Cite this Entry
“Radiolarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radiolarian. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
radiolarian
noun
ra·di·o·lar·i·an
ˌrād-ē-ō-ˈlar-ē-ən
-ˈler-
: any of various usually ball-shaped marine protozoans that have small spines radiating from the shell and have a skeleton containing silica
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share