krə̇ˈthidēə noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek krithidion, diminutive of krithē barleycorn
1. capitalized : a genus of flagellates (family Trypanosomatidae) that are exclusively parasites of invertebrates especially in the digestive tract of insects and that occur typically as elongated forms morphologically like trypanosomes but pass through developmental stages all in a single host in which they are indistinguishable from typical leptomonads and leishmanias
2. -s
a. : any flagellate of the genus Crithidia
b. : any flagellate of the family Trypanosomatidae when exhibiting a typical crithidial form