giardia

noun giar·dia \ jē-ˈär-dē-ə , ˈjär- \

Definition of giardia

:any of a genus (Giardia) of flagellate protozoans inhabiting the intestines of various mammals and including one (G. lamblia synonym G. intestinalis) that is associated with diarrhea in humans

Recent Examples of giardia from the Web

Later, the battleground moved to microbes, viruses and parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium.

— andrew maykuth, Philly.com, "'Dr. Water' is hanging up his lab coat after three decades," 18 Aug. 2017
About 5 of every 100,000 Californians contract a giardia infection each year, according to the most recent surveillance report from the California Department of Public Health.

— sammy caiola, sacbee.com, "Mountain water may look clear, but don’t trust it," 4 July 2017
Wilderness water can contain disease-causing agents such as giardia, E. coli and salmonella.

— sammy caiola, sacbee, "Mountain water may look clear, but don’t trust it," 4 July 2017
Water systems must test for and treat harmful waterborne pathogens such as giardia and cryptosporidium parasites that can cause intestinal distress.

— ken alltucker, azcentral, "Arizona drinking-water violations common, report says," 3 May 2017
In Sweden, lakes and streams previously used for drinking water are now contaminated with the parasite that causes giardia, the human intestinal illness.

— craig welch, National Geographic, "Half of All Species Are on the Move—And We're Feeling It," 27 Apr. 2017
Lab results showed dogs that visit dog parks were more likely to test positive for two common parasites (giardia and cryptosporidium) than non-dog park-attending dogs.

— kristen kidd, The Denver Post, "Yes, dog parks can be poop pastures, but are they unsafe?," 16 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'giardia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of giardia

New Latin, from Alfred M. Giard †1908 French biologist

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1918

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

giardia

noun giar·dia \ jē-ˈär-dē-ə , ˈjär- \

medical Definition of giardia

1 capitalized :a genus of flagellate protozoans inhabiting the intestines of various mammals and including one (G. lamblia synonym G. intestinalis) that is associated with diarrhea in humans

2 :any flagellate of the genus Giardia

Biographical Note for giardia

Giard play \zhē-är\, Alfred Mathieu (1846–1908), French biologist. Giard was an all-around naturalist. He was a student of morphology, phylogeny, and ethology and a supporter of both Darwinism and Lamarckism. He investigated a wide range of topics in biology, including regeneration, sexuality, metamorphosis, experimental parthenogenesis, hybridization, autotomy, and mimicry. The genus Giardia was named in his honor in 1882 by Johann Kunstler.

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