Main Entry: plas·mo·di·um

Pronunciation: \plaz-ˈmōd-ē-əm\

Function: noun

1 plural -dia \-dē-ə\ a : a motile multinucleate mass of protoplasm resulting from fusion of uninucleate ameboid cells ; also : an organism (as a stage of a slime mold) that consists of such a structure b : syncytium 1
2 a capitalized : the type genus of the family Plasmodiidae of sporozoans that includes all the malaria parasites affecting humans b plural -dia : any individual malaria parasite