sporozoite
noun
spo·ro·zo·ite
ˌspȯr-ə-ˈzō-ˌīt 
: a usually motile infective form of some sporozoans that is a product of sporogony and initiates an asexual cycle in the new host
Examples of sporozoite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At that point, the parasites are squiggly critters called sporozoites.
—
Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Aug. 2024
The bite of an infected mosquito sends immature parasites called sporozoites into the bloodstream.
—Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2020
Mosquirix, developed in the 1980s by a team in Belgium at SmithKline-RIT, now part of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), stimulates an immune response against a protein that occurs only on the sporozoites' surface.
—Jop De Vrieze, Science | AAAS, 26 Nov. 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Aug. 2024
The bite of an infected mosquito sends immature parasites called sporozoites into the bloodstream.
—Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2020
Mosquirix, developed in the 1980s by a team in Belgium at SmithKline-RIT, now part of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), stimulates an immune response against a protein that occurs only on the sporozoites' surface.
—Jop De Vrieze, Science | AAAS, 26 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Sporozoite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sporozoite. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
sporozoite
noun
spo·ro·zo·ite
-ˈzō-ˌīt
: a usually motile infective form of some sporozoans (as the malaria parasite) that is a product of sporogony and initiates an asexual cycle in the new host
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share