babesia

noun ba·be·sia \ bə-ˈbē-zh(ē-)ə \

Definition of babesia

plural babesias or babesiae play \bə-ˈbē-zhē-ˌē\

: any of a genus (Babesia) of sporozoans parasitic in mammalian red blood cells (as in Texas fever) and transmitted by the bite of a tick — called also piroplasm

Origin and Etymology of babesia

New Latin, from Victor Babeş †1926 Romanian bacteriologist

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1894

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

babesia

noun ba·be·sia \ bə-ˈbē-zh(ē-)ə \

medical Definition of babesia

1 capitalized : the type genus of the family Babesiidae

2 plural babesias or babesiae play \-zhē-ˌē\ : any of the sporozoans of the genus Babesia or sometimes the family Babesiidae that are parasitic in mammalian red blood cells (as in Texas fever) and are transmitted by the bite of a tick — called also piroplasm