Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

daphnia

noun daph·nia \ ˈdaf-nē-ə \

Definition of daphnia

: any of a genus (Daphnia) of minute freshwater branchiopod crustaceans with biramous antennae used as locomotor organs — compare water flea

See daphnia defined for kids

Origin and Etymology of daphnia

New Latin, genus name

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up daphnia? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

gaffer

play

a lighting electrician on a movie set

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. sequacious 'intellectually servile'

  2. inadmissible 'not capable of being allowed'

  3. oligarch, pejorative 'a member a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes'

  4. emolument 'the returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites'

  5. troll 'to harass, criticize, or antagonize especially by disparaging or mocking public statements'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

daphnia

Test Your Vocabulary

The Eponym Quiz

  • rubens-painting
  • Which is the best synonym of bowdlerize?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games