daphnia

noun

daph·​nia ˈdaf-nē-ə How to pronounce daphnia (audio)
: any of a genus (Daphnia) of minute freshwater branchiopod crustaceans with biramous antennae used as locomotor organs compare water flea

Examples of daphnia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The larvae require good water quality and eat live food, like baby brine shrimp, the tiny crustaceans daphnia, and blackworms, which the zoo staff raises. Don Lyman, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Apr. 2023 On the third day, the daphnia were fed to tanks of carp. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2012 The larvae feed on tiny crustaceans, like daphnia, initially. BostonGlobe.com, 24 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'daphnia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of daphnia was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near daphnia

Cite this Entry

“Daphnia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daphnia. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

daphnia

noun
daph·​nia ˈdaf-nē-ə How to pronounce daphnia (audio)
: any of a genus of tiny water fleas with antennae used for movement
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