n.
Pronunciation: ' pr ō -( ˌ )tist
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin Protista, from Greek, neuter plural of pr ō tistos very first, primal, from superlative of pr ō tos first ― more at PROT-
Date: 1889
: any of a diverse taxonomic group and especially a kingdom (Protista syn. Protoctista) of eukaryotic organisms that are unicellular and sometimes colonial or less often multicellular and that typically include the protozoans, most algae, and often some fungi (as slime molds)
– pro · tis · tan \ pr ō - ' tis-t ə n \ adjective or noun