ˈplaŋktən, -aiŋ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: German, from Greek, neuter of planktos wandering, drifting, from plang-, stem of plazesthai to stray, drift, passive of plazein to drive astray; akin to Latin plangere to strike — more at plaint
: the passively floating or weakly swimming animal and plant life of a body of water consisting chiefly of minute plants (as diatoms and blue-green algae) and of minute animals (as protozoans, entomostracans, and various larvae) but including also larger forms (as jellyfishes and salpae) that have only weak powers of locomotion — compare benthos , nekton , tripton
• plank·ton·ic also planc·ton·ic (ˈ)plaŋk|tänik adjective