— planktonic /plangk ton"ik/ , adj.
/plangk"teuhn/ , n.
the aggregate of passively floating, drifting, or somewhat motile organisms occurring in a body of water, primarily comprising microscopic algae and protozoa.
[ 1890-95; planktós drifting, equiv. to plang-, var. s. of plázesthai to drift, roam, wander + -tos verbid suffix ]