pleuston

noun

pleus·​ton ˈplü-stən 

-ˌstän

: organisms living in the thin surface layer existing at the air-water interface of a body of water

pleustonic

plü-ˈstä-nik 

adjective

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary pleus- (irregular from Greek plein to sail, float) + -on (as in plankton)

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above