trematode

noun

trem·​a·​tode ˈtre-mə-ˌtōd How to pronounce trematode (audio)
: any of a class (Trematoda) of parasitic usually hermaphroditic flatworms including the flukes
trematode adjective

Examples of trematode in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Then there is a parasitic worm (trematode) that targets a particular species of marsh-dwelling brown shrimp (amphipod), turning the shrimp an orange hue and altering the host shrimp's behavior. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 31 Oct. 2023 Of those 12, nine did not change in abundance across the decades; two, a trematode and a thorny-headed worm, decreased; and another, a trematode, increased. Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 28 Apr. 2022 Dicroelium dentriticum, a trematode which lives in the livers of sheep, is no exception. Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2015 And Hechinger has personally seen soldiers in five other species of trematode, which infect snails from North America, Japan and the Persian Gulf. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 14 Sep. 2010 Euhaplorchis californiensis, for one, is a trematode flatworm that, in its larval stage, looks a bit like a sperm, with a big head and long tail. Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 28 Apr. 2022 Maybe there’s a reason another name for a trematode is a fluke. Sabrina Imbler, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2021 Take the trematode preying on the California killifish, a normally secretive bait fish that hangs out in western salt marshes. Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2020 The free-swimming trematode parasites that trigger swimmer's itch typically experience a three-host life cycle — starting with a mud snail, then a crab or a fish that will eventually be eaten by a bird. USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trematode.' 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

ultimately from Greek trēmatōdēs pierced with holes, from trēmat-, trēma hole, from tetrainein to bore — more at throw entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trematode was circa 1859

Dictionary Entries Near trematode

Cite this Entry

“Trematode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trematode. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

trematode

noun
trem·​a·​tode ˈtrem-ə-ˌtōd How to pronounce trematode (audio)
: any of a class of parasitic flatworms including the flukes
trematode adjective

Medical Definition

trematode

noun
trem·​a·​tode ˈtrem-ə-ˌtōd How to pronounce trematode (audio)
: any parasitic flatworm (as a liver fluke) of the class Trematoda
trematode adjective

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