Main Entry:

pro·tist

Pronunciation:

\ˈprō-(ˌ)tist\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

New Latin Protista, from Greek, neuter plural of prōtistos very first, primal, from superl. of prōtos first — more at prot-

Date:

1889

: any of a diverse taxonomic group and especially a kingdom (Protista syn. Protoctista) of eukaryotic organisms that are unicellular and sometimes colonial or less often multicellular and that typically include the protozoans, most algae, and often some fungi (as slime molds)

— pro·tis·tan \prō-ˈtis-tən\ adjective or noun