ˌspōrəˈzōə, -pȯr- noun plural
Usage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from spor- + -zoa
: a large class of strictly parasitic protozoans that pass through a complicated life cycle usually involving alternation of a sexual with an asexual generation, often required two or more dissimilar hosts to complete their life cycle, are typically immobile and usually intracellular parasites, and include many serious pathogens (as the malaria parasites, coccidia, and piroplasms) as well as numerous apparently innocuous forms — see acnidosporidia , cnidosporidia , telosporidia
• spo·ro·zo·al | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷|zōəl adjective
• spo·ro·zo·an -zōən adjective or noun