ameba, amebic, ameboid

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ame·​ba

less common spellings of amoeba, amoebic, amoeboid

: any of a large genus (Amoeba) of naked rhizopod protozoans with lobed and never anastomosing pseudopodia, without permanent organelles or supporting structures, and of wide distribution in fresh and salt water and moist terrestrial environments

broadly : a naked rhizopod or other amoeboid protozoan

amoeba

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noun

amoe·​ba ə-ˈmē-bə 

variants or less commonly ameba

plural amoebas or amoebae also amebas or amebae ə-ˈmē-(ˌ)bē 

: any of a large genus (Amoeba) of naked rhizopod protozoans with lobed and never anastomosing pseudopodia, without permanent organelles or supporting structures, and of wide distribution in fresh and salt water and moist terrestrial environments

broadly : a naked rhizopod or other amoeboid protozoan

amoebic adjective

or less commonly amebic

ə-ˈmē-bik

Illustration of amoeba

• 1 pseudopodium
• 2 nucleus
• 3 contractile vacuole
• 4 food vacuole

Examples of ameba in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Rappaport's team were able to identify genes that stabilize and protect DNA at 63 degrees C, and also genes that allow the fire amoeba to sense its environment and the temperature around it. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Mendoza’s death came just over a week after an 8-year-old girl in Louisiana died from the same amoeba. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026

The North Carolina teenager who died after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri was likely infected from a water feature at a community center, according to state and local officials. — Victoria Arancio, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Wilson used amoeba looks with seven players crowding the line of scrimmage before some dropped into coverage on two third downs. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin, genus name, from Greek amoibē change, from ameibein to change — more at migrate

First Known Use

Noun

1822, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ameba

• amoeba
• ceiba
• iba
• rebbe
• copaiba
• entamoeba

Kids Definition

ameba, ameboid

ame·​ba, ame·​boid

variant of amoeba, amoeboid