tardigrade

noun

tar·​di·​grade ˈtär-də-ˌgrād 

: any of a phylum (Tardigrada) of microscopic invertebrates with four pairs of stout legs that live usually in water or damp moss

called also water bear

Examples of tardigrade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The intention was to determine how well tardigrades did in the regolith, with an eye on one day converting Martian regolith — which is dead, inorganic dirt — into organic soil in which plants can grow. —Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026

Microscopic analysis revealed mineral particles clustered around the tardigrades’ mouths, suggesting physical or chemical interference with their biological functions. —Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 3 Mar. 2026

In 2016, researchers uncovered one of the tardigrade’s secrets: a gene with a sequence unlike any other known to exist in nature that makes a protein found only in tardigrades. —Tyler J. Woodward, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2025

From snailfish to tardigrades, creatures that thrive in extreme climates inspire curiosity and awe. —Erin Douglass, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Latin tardigradus slow-moving, from tardus slow + gradi to step, go — more at grade entry 1

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tardigrade

• accolade
• ambuscade
• antegrade
• balustrade
• barricade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed